The company’s internship supervisor supports the student’s integration, plans appropriate work tasks for the student, guides the student in completing them, and provides feedback. The supervisor helps connect what is learned in school with real-world work and ensures that the internship supports the achievement of the goals and learning outcomes described in the individual internship plan. A suitable supervisor is an experienced employee of the company who possesses the necessary professional knowledge and skills, interacts with the intern on a daily basis, and is able to monitor the intern’s progress.
Before the internship begins
Company-assigned internship supervisor:
- reviews the student’s individual internship plan;
- gain an overview of the learner’s current knowledge and skills;
- helps plan work assignments that align with the goals of the internship;
- agrees with the student and the school’s internship supervisor on the arrangements for communication;
- prepares for the intern’s first day and orientation;
- ensures that the intern has the necessary work equipment and personal protective equipment.
If a company is unable to provide a specific task described in the internship plan, the supervisor will discuss alternative options with the school’s internship coordinator.
At the beginning of the internship
Advisor:
- welcomes the intern and introduces him or her to the company and the team;
- explains the company’s work procedures, working hours, and internal rules;
- introduces the intern to their workplace and job duties;
- provides the necessary occupational safety instruction and training;
- explains who the intern can turn to if they have questions or problems;
- agrees with the intern on the manner of daily communication and the provision of feedback.
At the beginning, it is a good idea to give interns clearly defined and manageable tasks, and to gradually increase their responsibilities as their skills, independence, and self-confidence grow.
During the internship
Company-assigned internship supervisor:
- assigns the intern professional tasks related to the objectives of the internship;
- explains the purpose of the task, the expected outcome, and safe work practices;
- checks whether the intern understood the assignment;
- monitors the completion of work assignments and the intern’s progress;
- provides specific and constructive feedback on a regular basis;
- encourages the intern to ask questions and analyze their own work;
- helps link practical work experience to the learning outcomes of the internship program;
- monitors compliance with the internship workload and agreed-upon working hours;
- cooperates with the school’s internship supervisor as needed.
Good mentoring is not just about demonstrating work techniques. Interns should be given the opportunity to gradually perform tasks more independently, analyze their work, and justify their solutions.
Providing Feedback
It is important to provide feedback throughout the entire internship, not just at the end. Good feedback is timely, specific, and related to the intern’s work.
When providing feedback, you might discuss:
- which the intern did very well;
- in which his progress is evident;
- what and how improvements should be made;
- what kind of support or practice he still needs;
- What might the next work tasks and development goals be?
It’s also a good idea to ask the intern how they understood the assignment, what they learned, and in which areas they need more guidance.
If you encounter any problems
If an intern does not show up for work at the agreed-upon time, fails to follow work procedures or occupational safety requirements, is unable to perform their tasks, or needs more support than expected, the situation should first be discussed calmly with the intern.
If the problem recurs, it is not possible to fulfill the internship plan, or the continuation of the internship may be at risk, the company’s internship supervisor will contact the school’s internship supervisor. Any changes to the internship period, job duties, or other significant agreements will be discussed with the student, the company, and the school.
At the end of the internship
Company-assigned internship supervisor:
- discusses the intern’s progress and the achievement of the internship’s objectives with the intern;
- monitors the scope of the internship and the completion of agreed-upon tasks;
- provides the learner with summary feedback;
- enters the company’s evaluation of the student in the TAHVEL learning management system;
- provides feedback to the school, when possible, regarding the organization of the internship.
The supervisor’s evaluation is one of the components of the final assessment of the internship. The evaluation takes into account the intern’s development of professional skills, performance of work tasks, professional conduct, ability to collaborate, and achievement of the goals set out in the individual internship plan.
Company-based internship supervisors can take the Digiriigi Akadeemia e-course for workplace-based internship supervisors to develop their knowledge and mentoring skills. https://digiriigiakadeemia.ee/course/view.php?id=310