 Topic: Work Experience
Company name: Intel
Scheme partner: National Council for Work Experience (NCWE)
About NCWE
The National Council for Work Experience is part of HECSU, the Higher Education Careers Services Unit. It promotes, supports and develops quality work experience for the benefit of students, organisations and the economy.
About Intel
Intel is the world’s largest silicon chip maker. From manufacturing sites in Israel to sales and marketing offices in Ukraine, Intel employees are making a positive impact worldwide.
Total number of employees
Just under 1000.
Operational countries
48 countries.
Challenge
Often work experience is marred with images of tea-making and filing, but this is not the case with modern work experience programmes. Employers today face the challenge of implementing and maintaining a quality programme that benefits both the company and the individual. Structured programmes can enable companies to complete projects, recruit new employees and allow the student invaluable workplace experience.
Project name
Work experience programme.
Project manager
HR staffing.
Length of scheme
Intel have been offering a work experience programme for 17 years.
Work experience structure
- Intel offers a long-term placement, lasting 13 months, to undergraduates (mainly second year students completing Bachelor’s degrees).
Benefits
- By taking on such a high volume of Interns on an award winning internship, and building long standing relationships with university establishments, Intel attracts the highest calibre of students who bring with them fresh ideas and new perspectives that help the organisation to flourish.
- The underlying benefit of the Internship is the potential to move onto recent college graduate conversion. The internship positions are considered the primary source for the recruitment of recent college graduates.
- The students themselves gain valuable, hands-on experience in industry; gaining an insight into personal abilities and aptitudes.
- Work experience allows students the chance to relate and apply knowledge gained from university as well as helping them to make informed choices about career direction.
Results
- Each year, interns successfully complete projects benefiting the organisation.
- The main objective of the work experience programme for Intel is to hire new talents once they have graduated from university. By engaging with students early, through work experience programmes prior to graduation, companies can increase the chances of hiring high calibre students.
- Intel is a finalist in the ‘Over 250 Employees Long Term Placements’ category at the 2008 NCWE Awards.
Lessons
- Not to set application deadlines in November as it is too early for students. Next year the deadline will be pushed to late December.
Future plans
- Intel is currently piloting short-term placements of three months with MBA students and will review the success of this initiative in order to decide whether it would be beneficial for Intel to expand the pilot to other groups.
- The company are also considering offering interns shadowing experience within other departments to broaden their experience.
Key tips
1. It's important to build strong and efficient relationships with the key universities you are hiring from, in order to attract a high calibre of students.
2. An in-depth induction process is essential. It's vital that the new students receive a smooth and effective handover wherever possible.
3. In order for both the company and the individual to get the most out of the work experience programmes, students must receive continuous training and development throughout their placement. It's vital that students enhance development areas by understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The National Council for Work Experience is part of HECSU, the Higher Education Careers Services Unit. It promotes, supports and develops quality work experience for the benefit of students, organisations and the economy. Its role includes disseminating information and good practice, encouraging the development of quality standards and encouraging more employers to provide placement opportunities. NCWE run an annual awards scheme to encourage and reward organisations that display good practice in work experience.
 National Council for Work Experience and the Quality Mark accreditation scheme:
T: 0161 277 5267
E: workexperience@prospects.ac.uk
www.work-experience.org
ADDRESS:
National Council for Work Experience
Prospects House
Booth Street
Manchester
M13 9EP
|