Posted 12:00 PM, Fri., June 26, 2020
This summer is certainly a unique one for many students given all of the changes that we’ve endured because of COVID-19. Still, a cancelled internship doesn’t mean that you have to stop growing. As we approach the second half of summer, you might be looking for new activities to continue to grow as an engineer, scientist, or student. Here are a few examples to help you out:
Apply for a Micro-internship
Micro-internships are “the next big thing” according to a 2019 Forbes Magazine article, and can help close the internship access gap. These short, project-based opportunities are online and innovative, and can allow students to explore new areas, build new skills, and make connections in industry. ECS has partnered with Parker Dewey, which is a job platform like Handshake, but for micro-internships, to bring these opportunities to students. When you first sign into the site, you can immediately start viewing and applying to internships. However, take a few minutes to add a picture and resume to your profile, and fill out skills and experiences. There won’t be a chance to do this later during the application process. Plus, a completed profile will help you stand out to employers.
Learn a New Skill
It’s always a good time to build your knowledge base or pick up a new skill. Countless online sites, like LinkedIn Learning, edX.org, or Codecademy, offer free courses on skills like coding languages, professional skills, data analysis, and a lot more. If you’re looking for something in the area of humanities or music, check out the free summer courses from Harvard University, or programs from UIUC’s School of Music during the month of July.
Undergraduates: Sign-up for Grainger Mentoring
A great way to explore different careers and paths you can take after college is to conduct an informational interview. The Grainger Mentoring program is built to help undergraduate students find these types of opportunities. Fill out your profile and get matched up with other UIUC alumni in your area of interest. The site will show you several people who “match” your profile, but you can also search for alumni using keywords, including your major, a company name, a university, job title, etc.. Once you find someone you’d like to reach out to, the site will help you write a message to send them. Remember, these alumni signed up to be mentors because they want to help students like you! If you need help creating questions to ask them, check out this resource on informational interviews from the UIUC Career Center.
On a final note, don’t forget to check out the virtual resources ECS offers, including summer advising communities (yes, you can still join!) or virtual advising appointments. Check out this article to learn more.