College is about expanding. College students are united by one similar goal: to be successful out in the real world. These days, doing well in classes and participating in extracurricular activities may not be enough to land your dream job post-graduation. With the job market getting increasingly more competitive, a professional internship is what can set most students apart. This is the focus of the Pack Internship Grant Program, sponsored by ASUN and run through the Career Studio.

The Pack Internship Grant Program provides funding for 50+ individual student internships with local businesses, nonprofits and public agencies every spring. Through the program, students can apply for paid internships earning wages at $12/hour for 120 hours. The program also assists local businesses in developing substantive internship opportunities for Nevada students.

Internships are one of the best ways to make connections and potentially land a post-graduate job. Employers consider their internship pool of candidates first when filling full-time positions. According to the 2017 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Internship and Co-Op Report, the retention rate for interns staying on as full-time employees was 51.8 percent.

The deadline for applications for the Pack Internship Program is quickly approaching, and are due by Nov. 6. Don’t miss out on the chance to land a great local, paid internship within your major.

This is News You Can Use with a guide to the Pack Internship Grant Program.

How to apply

This year, applications for the Pack Internship program are available on Handshake, a specialized platform for connecting students and employers. Students can search through the 50+ internships available to find which ones they want to apply for, and also build a profile similar to LinkedIn, acting as a digital resume easily viewable by employers, professors, and fellow students. Starting a Handshake profile is very simple, UNR students are already registered users, just log in with your .edu email and netID. Once in Handshake, search “Pack Internship” to browse through all the postings, or limit your search based on your field.

Students are able to apply for as many internships as they want but are advised to make sure they differentiate their application for each position. For help with applications, resumes, and general internship questions students can visit the Career Studio.

Who can apply?

Any Nevada undergraduate enrolled in at least 15 undergraduate credits with a 2.75 GPA is eligible to apply. For students needing more credits to meet the 15-credit requirement, the Career Studio offers the possibility of enrolling in a 3-credit internship course. All of the applications are pre-screened by the Career Studio, but each organization makes the final selection based on the student’s experience or skill.

When Does the Internship Take Place?

The internships will take place during the upcoming spring semester. Students will complete 120 hours during the semester, with the distribution of hours being different at each company. Employers and interns will work together to determine an appropriate schedule based off of classes and business hours. The program also sets a maximum of 15 working hours a week for each intern.

For more information, the Career Studio is holding two information sessions in the career studio, tomorrow Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Emily Fisher can be reached at efisher@sagebrush.unr and on twitter @NevadaSagebrush.