If you’re googling how to pursue your passion through internships this summer, then you know what a summer internship is and the real reason why you should do one. You want to know how to find summer internships so you can do an internship this summer and start building towards your dream job. Congrats! You’ve made it to the right place.
In this blog, you’ll learn all about the incredible projects to do this summer with summer internship opportunities. You’ll also gain our top tips on how to find the best summer intern programs for your career goals, when to apply for summer internships, and how to be a great intern and make the most of experiences too.
Top Passion Projects to Do This Summer
Young go-getters come in all shapes and sizes, whether you’re an animal lover or nature enthusiast or passionate about youth empowerment or sustainable business development. Fortunately, whatever dream job you’re striving towards, there’s an internship pathway that can help you get there. Here are some of our most popular focus areas for summer internship opportunities, with the best summer internships available in them.
1. NGO Management
NGO management is another fantastic focus area for versatile summer internship opportunities. It’s also another area where you can make a real positive impact on the world.
If you want to do an internship this summer that will equip you with broad skill development, unique learning opportunities, and project management experience, NGO management is a great choice. You’ll enjoy diverse networking possibilities, close professional mentorship, and a big CV boost.
With nonprofit management summer internship options, you could have some incredible projects to do this summer. With our Social Internship in Amsterdam, you’ll be placed at the nexus of a nationwide network of volunteer initiatives, which puts you in charge of coordinating volunteers and managing projects. So, you could work on dozens of different exciting projects.
2. Medical
Similarly, summer internship options aren’t entirely optional for medical students; experiential learning will form a fundamental part of your education. Another similarity is that summer internship opportunities for medics offer the most exciting, impactful projects to do this summer.
Do an internship this summer as a medical student and not only will you gain real-world insight, expose yourself to new medical practices, and build professional skills, you could also discover your true purpose and drive in your career.
This is especially true if you consider alternative summer intern positions such as nonprofit public health initiatives or grassroots community health projects. Our Community Healthcare Internship in Peru has you live and work in the Amazon Rainforest, providing a rural community with medical care.
3. Education
Education summer internship options are some of the most versatile, equipping interns with transferable skills beneficial in a variety of career paths. That’s why they’re some of our best summer internships for gap-year students. Education internships could be your answer to how to pursue your passion through internships this summer if you don’t know what your passion is yet.
Of course, the public speaking skills you’ll build leading a classroom and the time management skills you’ll develop leading lessons will be greatly beneficial if you’re committed to a career in education. They can help in an array of professional contexts, too.
Education internships can also offer truly impactful projects to do this summer. A summer intern position can put you in an instrumental role in a child’s development. For instance, you could support children with Down syndrome, autism, and visual or hearing impairments with our Special Education Internship in the Philippines.
4. Law
Law internships for summer breaks during college provide law students with vital experiential learning. Regardless of grades, entering the job market with no professional experience will make it nearly impossible to get a job. A summer intern position helps law students contextualize their education in real-world settings and develop a practical understanding of law.
Moreover, there are incredible projects to do this summer with law internships. One of our top law internships this summer has you working to improve human rights and refugee laws in South Africa. Our Advocacy and Human Rights Internship lets you assist with important advocacy campaigns and work directly with refugees and migrants to provide legal support.
5. Wildlife Conservation
An animal lover or nature enthusiast who asks how to pursue your passion through internships this summer will have a tough decision ahead when choosing between incredible summer internship opportunities.
Some of our best summer intern programs are within wildlife conservation. You could travel to awe-inspiring natural settings like the Amazon Rainforest, the Galapagos Islands, or Great Kruger National Park. From there, you’ll work in close quarters with some rare and wonderful wildlife and help conserve it.
With our Wildlife Veterinary Internship in Malawi, you’ll work with a wildlife conservation and animal rescue center based in Lilongwe. This will include daily veterinary duties such as performing health checks and assisting with emergency surgeries, as well as daily animal husbandry and care duties like feeding and cleaning.
How to Be a Great Intern While Pursuing Your Passion
Now you know about all the summer internship opportunities available to you. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, there are so many more worthwhile summer internship options to explore. Knowing how to find summer internships is just the first part of pursuing your passion through internships this summer. You’ll need to make the most of the experience too. Whatever summer intern position you fill, here are a few rules you’ll want to keep in mind if you want to know how to be a great intern:
1. Set Your Goals
A key part of finding the right internship at an NGO, or anywhere else, is knowing what you want from the experience. Before starting your internship, take some time to define your goals and what you hope to achieve.
Whether it’s gaining specific skills, making industry connections, or clarifying your career aspirations, having clear goals will help you stay focused and motivated throughout your internship.
2. Find the Right Internship
A pivotal part of how to pursue your passion through internships this summer is making sure you find the right summer intern position. Do your research and find an internship that aligns with your interests, skills, and career goals. This will be a lot easier if you follow our first tip.
Look for opportunities that offer meaningful experiences, mentorship, and opportunities for growth. Choosing the right internship will ensure that you’re invested in the work and eager to contribute to the organization’s goals.
3. Apply Early
Our top tip on how to find summer internships is to start looking early. If you’re wondering when to apply for summer internships, the earlier the better!
Many organizations have early application deadlines, and the competition can be fierce. Start searching for internships early, tailor your applications to each opportunity, and submit them well before the deadline to increase your chances of securing an internship.
4. Expect First-Day Jitters
If you’re going to do an internship this summer, you should know it’s natural to feel nervous on your first day. Take a deep breath, be confident in your abilities, and stay positive.
Another key tip is to remember that internships are designed for your own development. No one’s expecting you to be an expert, just to have a learner’s mindset and a can-do attitude. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, introduce yourself to your colleagues, and seek guidance from your supervisor as needed.
5. Seize Networking Opportunities
Networking is a crucial aspect of all the best summer programs. Take advantage of opportunities to connect with professionals in your field, attend networking events, and build relationships with your colleagues.
Networking can open doors to future job opportunities, mentorship, and valuable insights into your chosen industry. Even if they don’t, grasping these opportunities early on in your career will develop crucial networking skills that will serve you throughout your career.
6. Keep Note of Achievements and Lessons Learned
Throughout your summer intern position, keep track of your accomplishments, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the lessons you’ve learned.
Maintaining a record of your achievements will help you reflect on your progress and solidify the lessons you learn. As a bonus, it also really helps when adding your internships to a resume and discussing internship experience in future job interviews.
How to Find Summer Internships with Roots?
Don’t get bogged down in the details of how to pursue your passion through internships this summer. You’re already on the right track. You’ve already decided to do an internship this summer. You’ve decided to commit your time and effort to finding career projects to do this summer. This is how to achieve incredible heights in your career.
The lessons you can learn from a summer internship could be the leg-up you need in your chosen field. If you’d like help exploring summer internship options, then get in touch with Roots and receive th best support and expert guidance. We’ll help you find summer internships, secure them, and make the most of the experience too.
