Internships are not just for med students. For those in many fields, they are part of training and education. In this sense, they are similar to the old-time apprenticeship.

A Bit of History

For those who don't know their history, apprenticeship is how job and career training was done prior to the Industrial Age; a “master” in a trade (i.e., blacksmithery, carpentry, stonecutting, etc.) would take on an assistant – generally a young boy (maybe girls didn't count in those days?) – who would start out performing the most menial tasks in the shop – fetching, carrying and cleaning. Over the course of a several-year period, the boy would learn about tools and techniques, gradually participating in more and more activities related to the trade, eventually reaching the point where he was able to complete a project on his own. By this time, the boy was in his teens, at which point he was considered a “journeyman;” the next several years were spent perfecting his skills in the trade. By the time the process was finished, he would have to seek admission to a trade guild before he could be called a “master” and open his own shop – usually be presenting an example of his work.

Gosh, How Things Have Changed

There are several different kinds of internships today, but unlike apprenticeships, these don't go on for a gazillion years like they once did. More often, they are taken over a summer break between academic years as part of a degree program, or are done over the course of a quarter or semester after most (if not all) formal classwork has been completed. Some are paid (mostly in professions such as medicine or law), or may include a (small) stipend; most are not, however. For unpaid internships, the pay-off is that afterwards, the candidate has experience and an “inside track” towards getting that first job with the company.

Here's a rare, but not-unheard of conundrum that comes up occasionally; you are working as an intern and the boss is so impressed, s/he offers you a job right then and there – but you're still several semesters away from completing your degree.

Let’s weigh some of the “pros and cons” of whether or not you should complete a degree program now, later, or never.

There are many reasons why you would want to bypass education.

First of all, although the college years are a great deal of fun, they are also stressful – and in the U.S., ruinously expensive. Most U.S. college students graduate with a crushing load of debt, and there is no chance of a “bail-out” from Congress for these people (although in some fields such as education, agricultural science and medicine, the Federal government offers debt cancellation in whole or part in exchange for working for a time in certain regions with particular needs, such as inner city neighborhoods and Indian reservations).

Frankly, the “romance” of being a “starving student” is wearing off – fast.

Secondly, no one wants to miss an ideal job opportunity, especially with today’s unforgiving job market. The temptation is especially hard to ignore when the intern is positioned with a front-running company with exceptional promise for continued growth, therefore, posing attractive career growth for the intern as well.

Finally, education is exhausting. When those last semesters arrive, students often show duress and are all too willing to shift their focus on new goals, projects, and yes, employment. Tempting!

There are many reasons why you would not want to bypass education.

First of all, despite the fact that management has taken a liking to you (and this is NO bad thing), nobody likes a quitter. It may seem to be in your short-term interest to jump ship at college and sign on to the company today, one of the things companies look for in a candidate is the ability to follow through. The fact that you quit college may not seem like a big deal today, but it will come back to bite you later on. Management may be disappointed today if you turn down a position, but it is more likely they'll respect you for it later on (or at least in the morning).

Secondly, chances are you will need that diploma as a credential at some point. If you delay getting a degree today, it will only cost you more tomorrow – a lot more.

Finally, there is a great deal of satisfaction in having that sheepskin – and having it will go a long ways toward you getting employment in the future.

Merge Both Worlds

Certainly, there are ways to make both work. For example, countless colleges have evening and weekend class schedules, and an increasing number have taken on impressive online curricula to cater to working students. Your decision will likely be made against certain variables; i.e. your financial situation, your motivation level, what drives you, the “sweetness” of the job offer, and so on.

What should you do?

Looking at some of the pros and cons on whether to accept a job offer, or finish your degree, ultimately you are the only person who can make this decision.

Copyright 2009, Teena Rose, All Rights Reserved.