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Question Mentoring Interns

Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
So, we have an unpaid intern. This gal approached us, wanting to intern with a large format print company - just for experience, but it's through her college program. We are a few weeks into this - it's just for this winter quarter. It's largely up to me to mentor her, though since boss is in charge, he's come up with a "start at the end and work up to print" curriculum. we have had her help cut things down, and schooled her on the expectations of the finished product. I've shown her how to laminate, and had her do it herself with my guidance. now we are moving into the printing part. I've casually walked her through all of the RIPS we use, but I need to fine tune and narrow down the rest of our experience. I want to give her the value of her time, and still cover as much as I can.

So, my reason for putting this all out there... I know some of you are rehearsed in training, and you teach - any guidance you can offer me to help give this gal the info she should have? Like, say after this, and she graduates, and she comes to your shop looking for that first job (with her internship on her resume)...
Just looking for some input. I'll do what I do, but I like to be well rounded, and I'm looking for things I haven't thought of.
 
Gene@mpls

Gene@mpls

New Member
You sound like a worthwhile human being, congratulations. One of our best employees was an intern, you are educating her and she is getting a good look at you [and the company].
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
The real question, if you were to grade her, not on anything emotional or verbal..... is she actually learning and retaining anything ?? Could she do things if you weren't there ?? Would your boss then hafta intervene ?? What will she be looking to do with your training ??

I guess what I'm saying is..... are you cramming too much into the short time you have her and running the risk that she might be trying to take too much in a 3 month period ??
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
That's one of my concerns... Trying to cover too much in a short amount of time. She's only there for a few hours at the end of day. I've adjusted my own schedule so I can be there with her.
I think I need to step up to having her actually prepping and pulling files into the rip. We may have to do a lot of it.
I showed her how to web up the laminator a few times... Then I had her do it and she froze... Forgot half of the steps. More repetition maybe?
 
Notarealsignguy

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
One of our customers asked us one summer if we could do a similar thing for his kid that was going to welding school. We paid him the same as a general laborer because he could weld but hadn't learned how to do any sort of fabrication, layout etc. We had him build us things we needed around the shop, saw horses, hanging racks etc. I would draw it up, tell him the cuts etc and let him go to town. He was dog ass slow but that was to be expected. So school starts back up and the next time he wanted to come back he says my teacher says welders make $25/hr and he wont do it for any less. We had a talk with his dad that this wasn't going to work out anymore and the kid ended up bussing tables.
So to my point. I would tell her that pay will come with time but work experience is priceless. When they get out of school, don't focus on what someone will pay, figure out an industry that will hold your interest so that you will enjoy going to work rather than it just being a paycheck. Start hitting up companies in that particular industry and hunt for a job, no matter what it pays or what it is, that will provide the best experience and autonomy to put you on track for your future moves. It's basic resume building. As you get older, you get pigeon holed into a particular market segment and it is real hard to get hired outside of it. What you have done is as important or possibly more than what you can do.
 
Boudica

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
James Burke said:
An internship is not an apprenticeship. There is a very big difference. In my opinion, the internship is intended to give the student a sufficient real-world overview that is not attainable in a class-room setting.

The honing of those skills comes later.


JB
Click to expand...
Good point. I hadn't thought about it like that. Never even considered a distinction between the two.
 
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