If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in web design, are you thinking about future job opportunities? How do you get a job with no experience? And, if you are obtaining your degree online from a university hundreds of miles away, how do you acquire an internship locally that is convenient to your present location? Perhaps these are a few questions you have asked yourself.
An internship is perhaps one of the best learning tools available to the student earning an online bachelor’s degree in web design. It gives both the student and the employer an advantage in that the student gains valuable experience while learning the trade and it gives the employer free labor, or at least reduced labor costs. In most cases while you are working an internship and learning, you are also earning credits towards your degree, gaining valuable experience to put on future job applications and sometimes putting a little spending money in your pocket, too.
Each online college or university has its own requirements for participation in an internship, so you will definitely want to research this subject and the requirements made by your school, however, this is easily done by contacting your Career Planning Counselor. Most internship opportunities within your local area will need to be approved before starting the job if you want your time to apply to your school credits. Hours worked can be done part-time during the regular semester or full time during summer and winter breaks.
Other web design internship requirements may include daily activity records, progress reports on projects, details of completed projects, creating a portfolio and the final presentation for your grade. You will be expected to make use of your classroom knowledge and be able to apply it to beginner tasks for your employer.
Internships offer many advantages to the web design student. Not only are you gaining valuable experience, you are being exposed to many different aspects of web design and the different careers that can evolve from your online bachelor’s degree. If you need to change the course of your education, this is a good time to find that out so you can prepare.
An important part of your internship will be to develop and create your own portfolio of work. Your portfolio should include your class projects, as well as, your own designs and be sure to make your portfolio as impressive, eloquent and indicative of your style as you can; remember, it represents you!
Volunteer work is an excellent way to gain experience and provide your portfolio with your handiwork. Most charities welcome the help and do not have web design in their budgets, so by helping them design a website or brochure would be much appreciated and the good reference wouldn’t hurt either. Be creative and design your own brands and logos for portfolio example purposes or you may choose to re-design existing logos, such as Starbucks or Nike, just for the experience.
An internship is the most practical and significant way to beef up your job application after graduation and employers look very favorably upon this educational experience, in addition to, volunteer work, when they’re considering new hires. Check out our Best Online Schools for Bachelor’s in Web Design to peruse our picks of the standouts in this field of study.