This presentation was prepared by Li Pon, Career Center Specialist for the Internship Program at Tallahassee Community College. All rights reserved.

1. THE TSAE FINANCE &
OPERATIONS ROUNDTABLE
What You Need to Know
about Unpaid Interns
Got Interns?
Li P. Pon
TCC Internship
Program

2. Agenda
 TCC
Internship Program
 An
Overview of Unpaid
Internships
 How
to Make your Existing
Internship Better
 Questions?
…Discussion

3. Basics
TCC Internship Program
 Interns
work in a temporary position with an
emphasis on education and experience versus
immediate employment
 Interns range from freshman young adults to
adults later in life seeking a career change
 Unique relationship with faculty

4. Students
Pre-screening:
1. Application
2. Internship Expectations
3. Resume
4. Internship Program Interview
5. Connecting: providers and candidates
6. Internship Provider Interview(s)
7. Documentation of experience Internship
or Course (IDS 2941)

5. Interns will:
Complete a minimum of 150 hours or 12-15 hours per week
Apply classroom knowledge in a work setting
Document their hours and experience in a journal
Participate in professional development assignments
Submit a final paper
30% of the Internship course grade is based on
employer evaluations
“As of December 2013,
we have placed/tracked
753 interns.”

6. Need an Intern?
How to request an Intern?
1. Contact our Internship Office
Phone: 850-201-9971
ponl@tcc.fl.edu or internships@tcc.fl.edu
2. Fill out an Internship Request Form (IRF)
www.tcc.fl.edu/internships
3. Connecting process (2-3 weeks)
4. Interview student(s) intern candidates

7. Take away #1
Use resources available in
your community
1.
Colleges and Universities websites
2.
TLH Chamber of Commerce internship
adaptable forms package
http://accesstallahassee.com/jobs/
internships/

8. Background

9. Are you a
for-profit
company?
Are you a non-forprofit organization?
Are you a state or
federal agency?
Overview of
Unpaid
Internships

10. DOL Fact Sheet #71
Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor
Standards Act
 Internships
in the “for-profit” private sector
will most often be viewed as employment,
unless the test described below relating to
trainees is met. Interns in the “for-profit”
private sector who qualify as employees
rather than trainees typically must be paid
at least the minimum wage and overtime
compensation for hours worked over forty
in a workweek.

11. DOL 6 prong test
U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor
Standards Act criteria for unpaid interns:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The internship must include significant training
It must be for the interns benefit
It must not displace paid employees
The employer must derive no immediate benefit from
the intern’s activities, “an on occasions its operations
may actually be impeded.”
The intern must not be promised a job at the end of
the internship
The intern and the employer both must understand
that the position is unpaid

12. Take away #2
Internships
MUST be designed
to be similar to an educational
environment and the primary
benefit should be for the intern.

13. Improve your internship
 Create
a detailed internship posting
1. Match
major/program study to internship
2. Encourage internship credit
 Post
your internship opportunities on
different colleges/universities sites
 Interview all candidates, include interns’
future direct supervisor
 Document your internship offer
1.Offer
letter – detailing the internship
description and terms
2.Must be signed by intern
 Create
an intern manual for employees
and interns

14. Improve your internship
 Provide
an internship
orientation/introduction to work space
1. identify chain of command for different
situations
 Allow the intern to observe general
operations of your office.
1.General meetings
2.Trainings
3.Networking opportunities
4.Conferences
 Provide FEEDBACK
 Recognize the intern
 Reward them (if possible)

15. Take away #3
Offer a VALUE based
internship

16. Take away #1:Use
Resources available in your
community
Take away #2: Internships
must be designed to be
similar to an educational
environment and the
primary benefit should be
for the intern
Take away #3: Offer a
VALUE based internship
QUESTIONS?
OPEN DISCUSSION