Kinsey GustafsonReporter

Due to the recession, college students have to try harder than usual to score jobs in their career of interest once they graduate. Many students have the same question in mind: What can I do to get ahead of the game? The answer is within SDSU’s internship program. The program sets students up with internships that apply to their field of choice.

Cami Veire, is a general studies instructor who has been the part-time internship coordinator for the past three years at SDSU. Veire works with students on a variety of levels, from helping make résumés professional to finding internships that are of interest.

“The most positive part of doing this job is working with the students and listening to the goals they have for their careers and seeing the passion they have for the valuable academic experience they’re getting at SDSU,” Veire said.

Although there is currently a part-time internship coordinator, the Students’ Association has been pushing for a full-time position.

Veire said a full-time internship coordinator would be able to work on getting more employment opportunities for students and have more time to meet their individual internship needs.

SA pushed for a full time internship coordinator, but due to the economy and budget cuts, the cost of hiring a full-time internship coordinator is not plausible at this time.

“With the status of the economy8212; and we’re looking at getting another budget cut from the state legislator8212; we can’t afford a full time internship coordinator right now,” said Eric Haiar, the state and local government chair of SA. “But as to how it would benefit the students, it would make it so that there’s always someone on campus to sit down and help students with internships.”?

Veire said she and the staff in the Career Center think a full-time internship coordinator would benefit students.

“I remain optimistic about this position because it’s so valuable,” she said. “But we’re not doing justice to a Division-I school by not staffing a full-time internship coordinator.”

Veire said although not all internships prove compensation to students, they should still keep them in mind. Interning at a job that is related to your major or minor helps students gain experience, and often times, students are offered jobs after they finish their internship.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 70 percent of employers offered permanent jobs to their interns. Also, if an intern applies to a job outside of their internship, they are more likely to be hired than a student who did not complete an internship, because it shows they have put time and commitment into a profession they are interested in.

Along with being a helpful step towards landing a job out of college, some majors at SDSU actually require students to partake in an internship including: journalism, nursing and wildlife fish and game, to name a few.

Veire said scheduling an appointment with the Internship Coordinator to discuss internships in a chosen field of study or to find out what majors require internships are steps in the right direction to landing an internship.

“We want all SDSU students to connect with the internship coordinator during their sophomore year,” Veire said. “This allows the student to share their academic and work goals and dreams, and begin looking at all internship opportunities that will enable them to take their academic experiences here at SDSU and apply their skills in a work setting.”