Day: June 4, 2021

Strictest Punishment Must Be Awarded For Marital Rape

 Without mincing any words and coming straight to the heart of the matter, let me say this from the bottom of my heart that I fully support the burgeoning demand for making marital rape an offence. A rape is a rape. It cannot be justified under any circumstances! A husband who is supposed to protect his wife and take care of her in all possible respects if himself starts raping his wife must be awarded the strictest punishment and our laws must be suitably amended to make the laws more stricter and most importantly must make marital rape an offence immediately so that it can be checked! The figure of marital rape exceeds all our wildest imagination but never come in the limelight because very few cases are reported and out of them also less than a handful are registered and here too wife is finally cajoled or compelled by her own family members to relent and move ahead to save the so called institution of marriage from being destroyed which our politicians keep citing as a pretext to not making marital rape an offence! This is utterly reprehensible!

                                                Just because a man has married a woman that by itself does not confer the legitimate right or unbridled license to man to have sex with woman against her wish by forcing her in anyway. By marriage woman becomes equal partner with men and not an object or property of man whom a man can ravish as and when he likes and in the manner he likes caring a damn for woman’s wishes and safety! Highlighting the sheer hypocrisy of the political establishment in this, Supreme Court advocate Karuna Nundy reacted on Twitter that if a 17-year-old’s husband rapes her, it is legal, but if a 17-year-old  makes loves to her boyfriend, it is rape and then he goes to adult jail!
                                             If a husband can be prosecuted for murdering his wife, why can’t he be charged with raping her? A crime after all is a crime and under no circumstances should it ever be condoned! By not punishing marital rape, are we not reminded of a “stone age” mentality? In some states ruled by BJP, you can go to jail for eating beef but you face no punishment at all for raping your wife as you have the legal license! No marriage can confer unfettered right on husband to rape her wife without her consent!
                                                I am ashamed to note that in our Indian society it is considered the right of a husband to rape her wife as many times as he likes and that too against her wishes as people feel that marriage confers the right on husband to do so! I had myself heard a senior lawyer saying on the 9 o’ clock news on television that, “When you sign up for marriage, you sign up for sex”. Nothing on earth can be more atrocious!
                                           When a woman signs for marriage, she signs up for equal partnership and not surrenders her body rights to her husband as is very absurdly assumed even by some of learned lawyers and eminent academicians in India and in many other countries of the world! Infact, I very strongly feel that a husband who breaks the sacred sanctity of marriage and dares to forcibly rape her wife must be awarded the strictest punishment and such abominable and heinous offence deserve no mercy of any kind!
                                                  It is most unfortunate that in India a woman is regarded as personal property of man who has been vested with the marital right to rape her whenever he likes and as many times as he want. Nothing on earth can be more unfortunate than this! Worse still, a woman has no remedy and if she dares to go to police station, she is laughed at by policemen who say that, “Why did you marry him if you don’t want to have sex with him?” Even government feels that the introduction of a law against marital rape will destroy marriage! This is most ridiculous and absurd, to say the least!
                                             This male dominated patriarchal medieval mindset must change if our nation is to progress! Our laws must be suitably amended and marital rape must be made a criminal offence which must contain more punishment than even rape because here a husband betrays the sacred trust created by the marriage and so must be punished most harshly! There can be no exception and zero tolerance has to be demonstrated towards not only rape but also marital rape!
                                              According to the United Nations Population Fund, one-third of men out of a sample size of 9,205 admitted to have forced a sexual act on their wife. The study was conducted in eight states in India. The report also came out with the fact that 75% of married women were subjected to marital rape. What is most despicable is that inspite of all this, the government refuses to act in favour of making marital rape an offence and our Parliamentarians brazenly declare that the concept of marital rape in India does not apply to India leaving woman rights of protection against marital rape in the lurch!             
 
                                                      It is in this context that we have to see and appreciate what a trial court in Delhi while emphasizing the need for a law to recognize marital rape as a crime said that lakhs of women are made to suffer by their husbands. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Kamini Lau observed that absence of a provision to deal with marital rape as an offence exposes “double standards and hypocrisy in law” which has failed to recognize such incidents actionable offences. Lau was at great pains to note that, “It is unfortunate that we are yet to recognize woman’s right to control marital intercourse as a core component of equality. The shortfall in law was gross violation of the acknowledgement of a women’s right of self-determination i.e. control on all matters relating to her body and criminalization of marital rape.”
                                            The court made the observations while rejecting the bail application of a Delhi resident, Praveen Arora who was accused of sodomising his wife. The wife alleged that her husband used to rape and commit unnatural sex with her. She further said that the man showed her adult videos and bit her. Denying bail to the man, the court said, “There appears to be something seriously wrong with the accused and our society …with sexual perversity pervading the system where lakhs of women suffer this kind of sexual violence and perversity in silence.”
                                                     The court also cited United Nations Report – ‘All Forms of Violence against Women’ – which said 52 states have explicitly outlawed marital rape. The ASJ Kamini Lau made a scathing attack on this marital rape not being punishable in India  by saying that, “Non-recognition of marital rape in our nation set upon the bedrock of equality is gross double standard and hypocrisy in law which is central to the subordination and subjugation of women…it is rape when a man forces himself sexually upon a woman whether he has a license by marriage law to do it or not. It is the need of hour to seriously recognize and address this problem.” There can be no denying what ASJ Lau has said rather I would say that it is high time and now marital rape must be made an offence, to say the least.   
                                                Throwing out Praveen Arora’s bail application, court said it could not allow him to get away with such “perverse actions”, which had caused “physical and psychological damage to the young girl who was married for only eight months on account of his abusive relationship. Activists and lawyers agree with Lau. Senior advocate Meenakshi Arora, who is best known as the lawyer who propelled forward the ground breaking Vishaka guidelines in the Supreme Court minced no words in stating that, “A lot of violence exists in marriages, mostly in the form of spousal rape. We need to criminalise this so that the victims have a name for what they go through, so they have somewhere to turn to when they’ve been wronged.”
                                           In March 2014, Parliament rejected the Verma Committee’s proposal to criminalise marital rape . A panel of lawmakers said the proposed marital rape law “has the potential of destroying the institution of marriage”. Women’s rights activist Kalpana Vishwanath believes the decision could be attributed to “patriarchal anxiety that stops people from taking it up as a serious issue.”
                                                  If a woman is destroyed by raping her, what purpose does the institution of marriage serve? What institution are we talking about? That institution which confers unbridled license to a husband to rape her wife? Utter nonsense and load of rubbish this is! It only encourages husband to take her wife for granted and care a damn for her feelings and crave only for his own enjoyment and pleasure thus reducing her wife to a mere object to be exploited at her husband’s own sweet will!
                                            While craving for my esteemed readers exclusive indulgence, let me tell them that the Verma Committee Report headed by former CJI late Justice JS Verma recommended strongly that the exception for marital law be removed. It also recommended that –
1.  The law ought to specify that –
(a)        A marital or other relationship between the perpetrator or victim is not a valid defence against the crimes of rape or sexual violation;
(b)        The relationship between the accused and the complainant is not relevant to the inquiry into whether the complainant consented to the sexual activity;
(c)        The fact that the accused and victim are married or in another intimate relationship may not be regarded as a mitigating factor justifying lower sentences for rape.
Eminent jurist Leila Seth, who was herself part of the three member panel constituting the Justice JS Verma Committee found the Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary comments in Parliament that, “It was not possible to amend the Indian Penal Code to remove marital rape from the definition of rape because of the cultural and religious values in India and society’s belief that marriage is sacred” absolutely strange. She rightly pointed out that, “Today, you will deny woman the right to consent for sex after marriage ; tomorrow you could even deny her the right to life under the pretext of defending culture.” She further said that, “Unfortunately, as a Committee, they could only make recommendations and implementing it was in the hands of the State. Parliament can and must change the law as per the Committee’s recommendations.”
                                      Most recently, marital rape the Pam Rajput Committee that recently submitted its report to the women and child development ministry, has recommended that as a pro-woman measure, marital rape should be considered an offence irrespective of the age of the wife and the relationship between the perpetrator and survivor. The recommendations will be discussed in an inter-ministerial consultation scheduled later. There is no reason why this landmark recommendation should be not accepted immediately and in its totality.
                                      Women and Child Development minister Maneka Gandhi too had voiced her support of the view that marital rape was a form of violence against women and was “unacceptable”. She had stated categorically that, “My opinion is that violence against women shouldn’t be limited to violence by strangers. Very often a marital rape is not always about a man’s need for sex ; it is only about his need for power and subjugation. In such case, it should be treated with seriousness”.  
 
 
                                    According to the United Nations Population Fund, marital rape is the most common form of violence against women in India. Two-thirds of married Indian women surveyed by the UN, aged 15 to 49, allege to have been beaten and said their husbands had forced them to have sex on numerous occasions . In 2011, the International Men and Gender Equality Survey has revealed that one in five has forced their wives or partner to have sex. This must end now ! To make this happen, those husbands who unabashedly rape their wife must be made to face the strictest punishment and should not be allowed to go away lightly or scot free without facing any punishment as most unfortunately we are seeing right now!
                                              There are 104 countries that have outlawed marital rape. Why are we among the few nations like Yemen, Iran, Libya and Sudan where marital rape is no offence and woman has no option but to submit to rape? The present legal system in India does not recognize rape as crime except when a man rapes his wife who is below 15 years of age! This is most outrageous and deserves to be discarded right now !
                                                Marital rape became a crime in every state in USA by 1993. Most states of USA penalize marital rape like any other crime with fines that could exceed $ 50,000 and prison terms varying between several years and life in prison without parole. Marital rape was made a crime in Britain in 1991. The 2003 Sexual Offences Act clarified the law, giving consent a legal definition in England and Wales. Under the law, the accused would face punishment of five years in prison.
                                                    Many other countries like Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Israel, Poland, Turkey, Malaysia and, this year, Bolivia too have all criminalized marital rape. In Bhutan, marital rape is considered an offence but not a serious one. It is punishable with a minimum prison term of one year and a maximum term of three years!
 
                                                Why are we splitting hairs on making marital rape a punishable offence? Why can’t we go headlong with the proposal to make marital rape an offence? Domestic violence in any form is most reprehensible and completely unacceptable! I earnestly call upon Centre and our lawmakers to immediately implement the proposals of Justice Verma Committee report and make marital rape punishable in same manner as rape with no ifs and buts whatsoever! What an irony that when a man has sex with a married woman with her consent, he is punishable for adultery under Section 497 of the IPC for imprisonment that may extend to  five years but if a husband commits marital rape and breaks the blind trust that his wife poses on him, he is not at all punishable! This is utterly disgusting and can never under any circumstances be ever justified!    
                                                  Every man has the birth right to do what he wants to do with his own body except obviously the right to commit suicide and here too Centre has now decided to decriminalize it so that committing suicide also becomes the birth right of not only man but also every person including woman! But no man including husband has the right to rape a woman against her will and even marriage confers no such right. It is only with her consent that he has the right to have physical relationship with her and not without her consent ! Those who fear that disgruntled wives would misuse this provision like they say has been the case with Section 498A must remember that just because a law can be misused is no ground for not making a law! I do, however, agree that some safety clauses must also be inserted like if the complaint is found to be false or malafide, woman can be fined or jailed or both! This would go a long way in checking false complaints and in saving the time of courts and unnecessary harassment of innocent husbands!  Under no circumstances can marital rape be condoned and if it is not made even now the most heinous offence then we have to blame our ownself for condoning it! Shame on us! Shame on our law makers!   
               
Sanjeev Sirohi, Advocate,
s/o Col BPS Sirohi,
A 82, Defence Enclave,
Sardhana Road, Kankerkhera,
Meerut -250001, UP. 

Importance of Internships for Your Professional Career

How important is it really to do an internship before applying for a job? Do you need to get the hands-on experience that is talked about when discussing the importance of internships or is it a matter of just landing the right job?

Getting Your Feet Wet 

Internships are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the field. Internships are also a way to get your feet wet and find out if a specific field is something you could see yourself doing full-time.

 Internships may be completed during fall or spring semester or full time over the course of the summer. Unpaid internships may be easier to get but may also pose problems if making money is necessary, especially during the summer. There are many who cannot afford to work for no pay, so they are forced into doing menial jobs such as wait staff or bartending to work their way through college. It may preclude some from doing an internship which may be a detriment when hoping to get a full-time job

Financial Considerations 

Financial considerations when looking for an internship can make a big difference in the decision-making process. Sometimes, students will take a part-time or full-time job to supplement the time that they are spending at their internship. Whether an internship is paid or unpaid, there are many things that need to be taken into consideration to decide if an internship is worthwhile. It’s important to decide if an internship will ultimately be in the best interest of the student to help meet the requirements needed when applying for a full-time job.

How to Get Funding for an Internship 

Some colleges also offer funded internships for students. Check with your college to see if they offer a funded internship program that may help to meet the requirements of your college curriculum while offering experiences that employers seek when hiring new college graduates for entry-level jobs. Many foundations and organizations offer financing to college students so they may try writing to a number of them to see if they provide funding for college students seeking to do internships in their field.

Having an Internship and a Job

Students may elect to do a summer internship a couple of days per week while working a part-time job for the remainder of the time. For those who need to maximize the amount of money they make over the course of the summer, they may look into doing an internship during the academic year when they are less likely to expect to make money to help defray their college expenses.

In addition to internships, volunteer opportunities can also be an excellent way to gain experience and exposure to the workforce. Employers love to see volunteer experiences on a student’s ​resume. Volunteering shows commitment to causes and certain values that are intrinsic to the individuals who have participated in these types of experiences. Employers look for employees who are publicly engaged and who take an interest in community service and in doing good work.

What Employers Want 

Internships and volunteer experiences make candidates more competitive in the job market. In addition to gaining exposure and experience in the field, they also provide an opportunity to see if the particular career field is the right one based on getting personal experience in the field. No matter what opportunities you engage in, it’s important to maintain professionalism and take on the individual responsibility that is required.


The Benefits of Completing an Internship 

By doing a great job and completing more than what is required of you in your internship, you will be creating a great impression that can provide a great reference letter at the least, and may even potentially lead to a potential job offer. When you leave the organization at the end of the internship, you should ask for a recommendation letter that you can keep on file for future reference.

Internships Are a Learning Experience 

Internships are a great way to learn the ropes so even if you find yourself filing or making coffee, as long as you‘re learning about the field take advantage of the opportunity and don’t take the experience lightly. Asking questions is one key to learning in an internship and keeping yourself flexible throughout the internship can open many doors.

Importance of an Internship: Top 5 Reasons

 Just having a good degree is no longer enough to secure that all-important graduate job offer in today’s world. Pertinent work experience is now just as valuable as your degree and exam results when it comes to building a successful career. As a result, internships have become an essential way to help candidates make themselves stand out. The importance of an internship has been shown in several recent surveys. According to NACE’s Class of 2019 Student Survey, “More than half of all graduating seniors who applied for a full-time job (53.2%) received at least one job offer. Within this group, 57.5% of students who had an internship and 43.7% of graduating seniors who did not have an internship received a job offer.” Not bad right? Let’s keep it going. 

We will discuss everything you need to know about internships and determine why interning at a company is vital to career growth.

So, let’s get started!

The concept of an internship 

You need the experience to get hands-on knowledge in your career field. In today’s labour market, employers rely heavily on CVs that demonstrate relevant work history, whether it is from actual job experience, volunteer work, or interning at a company. 

An internship is an official program offered by organisations to help train and provide work experience to students and recent graduates. The concept of working as an intern began a long time ago but has drastically evolved over the years. Internships first started as a labourer who would take on young individuals and teach them their art or trade. In exchange for being taught a skill, the trainee would agree to work for the labourer for a specific time. Even then, the purpose of an internship or rather an apprenticeship was to gain new skills to be able to obtain future work.

In modern interning, an intern or trainee can work for an organisation for a specific amount of time. Interns can work for 1-12 months or longer, depending on the company and the industry. Internships are popular amongst graduate and undergraduate students who need to gain research or valuable work experience. Almost every sector and type of company, from a large multinational corporation to a small startup, now offers internships. Additionally, there has been a rise in remote internships – which is the ability to intern virtually for global companies. The vast number of internship opportunities available indicates the importance of an internship in today’s world.

How valuable is job experience? 

Getting work experience is an essential aspect of starting your career as a young graduate. The earlier you start gaining experience for your CV, the better. Job experience is not just restricted to an office job with a large organisation. You can get an internship at a small company or get experience by freelancing. Any experience where you use skills that you can transfer to your future career is an excellent addition to your CV. It can help you demonstrate your commitment and capabilities to an employer while highlighting the skills that are both appropriate and transferable to the post you are applying for. An internship is one of the best ways to gain that all-important job experience.

Here are the top 5 reasons we think show the importance of an internship.

Internships provide exposure to the real world

Unfortunately, in today’s job market, passing exams with high scores and getting a degree doesn’t offer the much-needed work experience, you will need to succeed in a workspace. 

By partaking in an internship, you will be able to gain real-life exposure, grow your knowledge and determine if you are in the right career field. Internships not only provide you with the first-hand experience in the real working world but also enable you to understand the career trajectory for your desired job title. You can learn how to apply the knowledge you have acquired during an internship to your future workplaces.

In addition to this, it is an excellent learning curve for young graduates and students while meeting new people and making connections in the professional world.

Internships give you a platform to establish critical networking connections

Networking is the exchange of information between individuals to form acquaintances and relationships to further their professional career. An internship is an experiential learning opportunity that offers an invaluable chance for students to network and build crucial professional connections before they even graduate. 

For some students, it is a stepping-stone to bonus opportunities within the same organisation, including a full-time job. The more people you meet in the professional world with the same interest, the higher your chances to grow as a professional. You will get to know how these people work, what strategies they use to tackle a difficult situation, and how they get the job done. Different people have different skills. Meeting them and watching them work will help you understand how to work with different people and in various work environments. You can use their strategies and reinvent them for your circumstances. 

Internships allow you to learn more about yourself 

You may start as an intern in a specific field. But the more you explore it, the more you will discover about it. Every industry has its pros and cons. Working in a real-world environment will help you understand the depths of your field and will help you determine whether it is a career you wish to pursue in the future.

An internship will help you learn about your capabilities and ultimately encourage you to have a greater understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. It can be a challenging experience at times. Still, the benefits you gain from being pushed out of your comfort zone will help you tremendously in the future when you are presented with a difficult task or situation.

Internships equip you with more than just technical skills 

When you are working as a professional for an organisation, business and technical knowledge are not the only things that the industry demands. You need people skills as well – because no matter how good you are, you won’t stand a chance of succeeding in any profession unless you develop a collaborative work ethic and learn to be a team player. 

On top of that, you need to know how to work under pressure, and why deadlines matter. An internship gives you exposure to the challenges of a work environment and having experience of these situations will be useful to talk about in future interviews and show employers that you will be a good fit for their company.

Internships allow you to gain a competitive edge 

Everyone knows that the job market is competitive, especially in the current climate. There may be hundreds of other candidates applying for the same role as you. As a result, you need a way to help give you a competitive edge and make yourself stand out. Internships can provide you with experience and the skills to help make employers notice you and as well as showing them that you would be a good fit for their company. It also shows that you are someone who has the drive and passion and has been motivated to acquire experience outside of just University. 

What do the stats say? 

There is plenty of research supporting the decisive role that interning at an organisation plays in a student’s life. According to the State of Millennial Hiring Report, US graduates who complete more than three internships are more likely to secure a full-time job.
More and more institutions are emphasising that students graduate with experience and also understanding the importance of an internship. According to the same report, 81.1% of graduates say that working as an intern has helped them significantly improve their career prospects. 

In the UK, Sutton Trust’s 2018 report showed “Completing an internship was associated with higher salaries, for both middle and working-class students”. These studies all show the importance of an internship in today’s environment.

Going forward, there will be a lot more remote career opportunities opening up, and it could be a viable alternative to working from an office. It is worth considering in your career plan.

If a remote internship is not for you, don’t worry, there are still other ways you can make the most out of this time. You can perhaps learn new skills like programming or volunteer with a local charity; the worst thing you can do now is to do nothing and expect something to happen.

Final Thoughts

To sum up, internships play a crucial role in shaping one’s career. It not only helps undergraduates and graduates gain real exposure to working environments but also helps them develop the necessary skills required to stand out in a saturated job market. Now that you know the importance of an internship, it is time to find a course in your chosen industry.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCzOJDJZHoBttdHAjJsnN9w?sub_confirmation=1

Why An Internship is Important to All Students

 Our economy is changing daily, and with it, the talents, skills, and experience needed to be a part of that growth cycle are too. The job market is a competitive one, and often that is a tough learning curve for recent graduates. This is a big reason behind the growth of applied learning and internship opportunities becoming a key part of the college experience for all students.

According to dictionary.com, an internship is defined as “any official or formal program to provide practical experience for beginners in an occupation or profession.” The most important element of internships is that they integrate classroom knowledge and theory with practical application and skills developed in professional or community settings. They also bring a wealth of benefits to students, both while completing a degree and when seeking a career path post-graduation.

Why should you intern?

  1. Application of education and career exploration. Internships are a great way to apply the knowledge from the classroom to real-world experience. Learning is one thing, but taking those skills into the workforce and applying them is a great way to explore different career paths and specializations that suit individual interests.
  2. Gain experience and increase marketability. Having an internship gives you experience in the career field you want to pursue. Not only does this give individuals an edge over other candidates when applying for jobs, it also prepares them for what to expect in their field and increases confidence in their work.
  3. Networking. Having an internship benefits you in the working environment, and it also builds your professional network. There is a 1 in 16 chance of securing a job by connecting with people, so networking is critical. Internships provide a great environment to meet professionals in the career field you want to pursue, as well as other interns who have similar interests.
  4. National Data. According to a 2016 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey, more than 56 percent of graduating seniors reported taking part in at least one internship. Of those respondents, 56 percent were paid, while 44 percent were unpaid. Seventy-two percent of those unpaid internships were credit-bearing.
  5. Professionalism. Internships can provide students with the soft skills needed in the workplace and in leadership positions. In a LinkedIn Skills Report (2018), 57% of people rated soft skills as being more important than technical skills. Skills, such as communication, leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork can all be learned through an internship and utilized beyond that experience.
  6. Learn how a professional workplace operates. Depending on your major, you may read about how organizations thrive and function in textbooks, hear from guest speakers who talk about organizational structures, or dive into case studies about workplace culture, but nothing compares to living the actual experience. Internships help students learn all about workplace culture, employee relations, and leadership structure, which should help them onboard in their first professional job with more ease than if they haven’t had professional experience.
  7. Build your resume. Most organizations and jobs that you apply to following graduation want employees to have some sort of professional experience, even for entry-level jobs. In the event that you are a finalist for a position and haven’t had an internship experience but the other finalist has, you may lose out on a job opportunity, so make sure you at least have one internship on your resume before leaving college to give you a leg up on the competition.
  8. Gain professional feedback. Not only will you be helping out the organization you intern with, but they’ll help you out too. While professors and teachers will prepare you for the theoretical side of your field and hands-on projects, internships provide opportunities for receiving feedback from someone who works in your desired field on a daily basis.
  9. Learn from others. It might seem common sense – you’re interning to learn skills, after all – but don’t forget to purposefully observe others in their job role to learn the ins and outs of different positions. Consider asking your supervisor if you can shadow them for a day, along with other people in your department. Ask to sit in on departmentwide meetings as well. Act like a sponge and soak up all the information you can during your internship – it will benefit you in the long run.
  10. Figure out what you like and don’t like. While everyone probably wants to walk away from an internship feeling excited and passionate about the experience, there’s a silver-lining to be found if you didn’t enjoy the job: you’ll know what you don’t like. According to an article from monster.com, “figuring out what type of job you don’t want while you’re interning can help prevent you from accepting an ill-fitting job when you graduate.”

Why An Internship Is Important For Your Future Career

 Employers in today’s labor market rely heavily on resumes that illustrate a relevant work history, whether that’s from internships, volunteer work, or actual job experience.

A practical work background carries a major significance when attempting to enter the job market. It’s all about competition.

Not only are businesses competing against each other for a competitive advantage, but people are also competing to land that coveted position in a company.

Even your buddy who graduated with you in college has become your competition.

Take a moment and think about it. If you’re looking to gain experience, working as an intern is arguably the most advantageous plan of action.

That one internship you did over summer could be the difference between winning a job opportunity or losing it.

If that information alone isn’t compelling enough, we have compiled a list of reasons why partaking in internships are important for your future career.

1. An Internship Provides Real Life Experience and Exposure

Internship experience

If you’re lucky enough to snag a beneficial internship, it can be remarkably valuable towards your career.

An internship enables you to gain first-hand exposure of working in the real world.

It also allows students to harness the skill, knowledge, and theoretical practice they learnt in university.

You can acquire endless amounts of education in your life, however, that knowledge doesn’t always translate to the working life.

The great thing about internships is that it teaches young professionals about the specific industries and companies they are interested in.

Even the experience of trying something new is extremely beneficial.

A lot of people get stuck in routines, staying in the same town, attending the same schools or surrounding themselves with the same people.

Doing an internship exposes you to new people in a more controlled and stable environment.

An intern isn’t thrown into the wolves but rather given proper training, assignments, and duties without the added pressure.

Internships provide a nice learning curve for students with little experience of the professional world.

2. The Opportunity To Learn More About Yourself

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

Business networking

The experiences we go through are what shapes us. Your internship will not only encourage personal development, but also a greater understanding of self.

To know yourself is to know your goals and how to best achieve them.

Finding this level of clarity is difficult, but sometimes all it takes is trying someone new, out of your comfort zone.

For example, take a Business Marketing student who decides to do an internship related to his field of study.

That internship will give them a chance to explore what a career in business marketing would be like. Sometimes, reality does not meet expectations.

At this point, the student is given a chance to decide whether they wish to continue with their current career path or try something else.

3. Get Connected and Develop Your Professional Network

Student development

Networking is an exchange of information between people, with the ultimate goal of establishing acquaintances and relationships to advance your professional career.

Sure, you can attend a networking event without doing an internship, but you would be limiting yourself.

Partaking in an internship allows you to establish deeper relationships than you normally would talking to a stranger one-on-one.

Being an intern gives you more opportunities to build connections with company professionals that can be very beneficial for your future career.

According to Timothy Butler, a professor at Harvard Business School, “The biggest mistake that people make networking is that people don’t do it.”

Even if you think you don’t need it, it’s always good to have a backup plan. Life is unpredictable and a time may arise when a network may come in handy.

Make sure to carry some business cards at all times because networking can occur anywhere or anytime, even at a local coffee shop you frequent!

4. Prevent CV From Going To The Trash

Internship

While you may get second chances when talking to someone face-to-face, your resume will not.

Think of your resume as an extension of yourself and how you would want someone to perceive you.

Instead of thinking long term about landing that job, switch up your mindset to short term. Your short term goal should be to secure a job interview.

Once you get an interview, then you’re able to elaborate on why you’re deserving of working with this company.

So now you may be asking, “How do I get a job interview?” Well, there is one specific section on your resume that employers will be more interested in than any other section.

Experience! Internships are the perfect way to enhance your resume through relevant experiences.

When an employer sees that you’ve completed an internship over the summer, for a hefty 6 month span, or even abroad, it will go a long way to convincing them that you are an asset to their company.

It’s not enough to simply show you’ve spent some time as an intern. List the tasks you’ve done and projects you’ve participated in to demonstrate your value.

During your internship you can acquire new skills and abilities which can improve yourself as a young professional, and furthermore enhance your resume.

The more experience you acquire, the better you position yourself for success in landing a job.

5. Transition Into A Full-Time Position

Sometimes graduating from college and immediately jumping into a new job position has its disadvantages.

When you start out, you are the most vulnerable employee when it comes to layoffs.

If you have never worked full-time before, the change may be difficult or overwhelming. In a working environment, not every boss is tolerant of mistakes.

In an economy where you likely cannot afford to lose your job, not being able to quickly adapt can be devastating.

Future career

Internships offer opportunities to transition into full-time positions.

Although it is not guaranteed, most employers are always seeking to add value to their organization.

With an internship, you’re given the opportunity to showcase your talents, commitment, and value to a prospective employer.

Furthermore, employers are more inclined to hire you once they have invested time and money to train you.

Given these points, an internship is more than crucial for your future career. An internship is the building blocks necessary for creating the path to a successful career.

So next time you’re on a gap year or summer break, you might want to consider indulging in a meaningful internship and build towards your future.