Realizing skilling and internship opportunities are critical for students become employable, colleges in India are playing a transformative role in this. Career-tech platform, Internshala in its latest report highlights the impact colleges’ preparing students for their professional journeys by ensuring they are career-ready. The report highlights that currently, over 21,500 higher education institutions (HEIs) are working with the platform to provide their 5.8 lac+ students with opportunities that make them more employable and thereby bridge the industry academia gap.
One of the driving forces behind this shift has been the active involvement of colleges, specifically through their training and placement cells, in creating pathways for students to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations. The efforts of training and placements officers (TPOs), deans, professors, and principals in actively guiding students towards internships and career-enhancing experiences are proving to be quintessential in Indian students’ career journey.
In just the past year, students from these 21.5k+ colleges have submitted over 5.87 lakh internship and job applications. This demonstrates the growing awareness among students about the importance of internships in gaining real-world experience. Internships allow students to understand industry dynamics, apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings, and develop essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. These experiences are indispensable in making students’ candidature more attractive to future employers.
There has been a substantial increase in colleges’ involvement in spreading internship and skilling awareness among their students. Additionally, consistent guidelines from government bodies like UGC, AICTE, etc. have also played a key role in nudging not only engineering and management higher education institutions (HEIs) but also all degree colleges across the country.
Geographically, cities including Delhi-NCR (26%), Mumbai (10%), Bangalore (7%), Pune (6%), Hyderabad (6%), Kolkata (4%), Chennai (2%), and Jaipur (2%) have emerged as top hubs where students from these 21.5k+ colleges were able to get hired for internship and job opportunities. These cities, known for their robust industries, are home to companies that are eager to hire skilled interns and fresh graduates. The proactive role played by TPOs in these regions has significantly contributed to students securing high-quality internships and full-time roles.
An additional highlight was that approximately 12% of the students who secured internships were able to convert them into full-time positions based on their performance during the internship. This conversion highlights that internships not only serve as great learning experiences, but also act as a stepping stone for students to prove their capabilities, secure employment opportunities, and build a professional network.
Recognising the immense need for skilling in today’s job market, colleges have also increasingly encouraged students to pursue certification courses that align with industry demands. Among the students from these colleges who applied for opportunities, around 5 lakh students had done at least one skill training certification in their fields of interest including but not limited to data science, digital marketing, programming, and design. As companies look for specialised skills and have continually changing demands, such certifications have become a critical component of a student’s career-readiness. And, it is a great sign that students are actively embracing skill development with a nudge from their college faculties.
Moreover, colleges and students have been mindful of the need for flexibility when it comes to internships, especially in light of changing work environments as well as managing their studies. As a result, the majority – 78% of students who secured internships in the past year did so in work-from-home roles. By supporting students in finding work-from-home internships, colleges have allowed students to balance their academic responsibilities with real-world work experience. Meanwhile, about 20% of students secured in-office opportunities, providing them with the hands-on experience of working in a professional environment.
About Internshala:
Founded in 2010, Internshala is a career-tech platform helping college students and freshers get the best start to their careers. The platform provides students with their first real-world experience through internships and fresher jobs and skilling in on-demand areas through online trainings and placement guarantee courses in line with its vision of becoming a career super app for college students. Internshala has partnerships with AICTE, NSDC, NPTEL, IIT Madras, and over 21,500 higher education institutions across India including many IITs and IIMs.
