Create an Internship

It is possible to create your own internship by contacting employers in your field of interest and describing your qualifications, interests and how you can contribute to their success. Descriptions of existing internships are helpful to frame your discussion with a possible internship host, as well as a solid understanding of your internship requirement.

When reaching out to organizations focus on the advantages of hiring an intern, such as having an extra person to assist with projects, offer new perspectives on organizational issues and provide new ideas. Include that you are required to complete an internship for graduation requirements, and are therefore committed to engaging in 135 hours of work.

Work Variance

It may be possible to create an internship at your place of employment. This means creating a new experience (not part of your regular job responsibilities) that is related to sustainability and requires the equivalent work of an internship (135 hours). Work variance requires that your current employer is in support of this arrangement. This opportunity works well if your organization is somewhat flexible, can appoint a supervisor to oversee & provide feedback on your “internship” work, and has a need and interest for sustainability projects.

If interested in this option understand the internship guidelines and discuss the possibility with your employer (have some ideas to present to them), then connect with the SOS Internship Coordinator to further discuss and document.

Determine your regional options

Get started by creating a "Really Big List". If you are looking at a specific city or region, research what organizations are doing sustainability work in that area. Explore non-profits, companies, utilities, and government organizations. Chamber of Commerce and city websites can be good places to start. Consider whether there are volunteer opportunities that you can formalize into an internship.

Make a "Really Big List" of all the organizations you come across; visit their website to see if they have internships posted. If not, consider reaching out to them directly to offer your services as an intern. If they don’t have opportunities, perhaps they can recommend another person or organization to reach out to.

Volunteer Opportunities

It may be possible to turn a sustainability related volunteer opportunity into an internship. Many organizations that depend on the help of volunteers would welcome an intern, because interns are dependable and can take on additional projects that may not be suitable for volunteers. Understand your internship requirements, research the organization and their needs, and ask to discuss possible opportunities with them. They may expect you to have ideas for projects or responsibilities, so be prepared to make suggestions. Usually interns will complete some level of typical volunteer tasks, but have additional responsibilities or projects that are both beneficial to the organization and are learning experiences for the intern.

Networking

Utilize your personal network. Talk the School of Sustainability Internship Coordinator, SOS faculty with whom you have a relationship and/or who specialize in your area of interest. They may know of opportunities, or of organizations, you should look into.

You may have friends or family in the location you are considering. If so, spread the word that you are looking for an internship. You never know who they may know, or what organizations they may suggest considering. This can be especially helpful if you are not familiar with the location yourself. Have some research done ahead of time so you can let them know what kind of opportunities you are interested in.

LinkedIn Alumni Finder

You can search for both School of Sustainability and ASU alumni in a particular city. Review their profiles. Where are they working? You may be able to add organizations to your Big List. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Make sure to introduce yourself and that you are planning to come to their city for an internship. See if they would chat with you for a few minutes about what sustainability related work is happening in that area. Remember, the goal is to try to establish a relationship, grow your network, & get connected to organizations--not only to ask them for internship opportunities.

Non-Sustainability Internships

You can consider internships that may not be explicitly focused on sustainability, but will allow you to incorporate a significant sustainability aspect or project. For example, students with dual interests in business, urban planning, construction management, aerospace engineering, art & design, have combined their interests in this way. However, it is very important that you are able to ensure there will be a sustainability learning experience included and you must be able to provide documentation of that.

More Information

ASU Career and Professional Development Services has written an article with additional information about creating your own internship

Creating Your Own Internship (from scratch)