Harnessing Student Energy: Why Brands Should Think Beyond Interns
Today’s interns can contribute more than the common perception about fresh pass-outs. They are digital natives who can bring a fresh change to the business
The ritual plays out every spring: students worldwide scramble to apply for various internship positions. It is a familiar, well-worn path—the primary way companies access fresh talent and students get a foot in the door. The internship model is valuable, sure, but in today’s world, is it the only or even the best way to connect with the incredible energy swirling on university campuses? In a way, relying almost exclusively on the traditional, structured internship, companies are creating an internship bottleneck, leaving a huge amount of potential talent and creative firepower waiting outside. It is time for brands to embrace a more flexible, innovative approach to engaging the next generation.
And there has been an increase in hiring opportunities for interns. According to on Annual Internship Trends report for 2024, from Internshala, a career-tech platform, Indian students have seen a 200% jump in internship opportunities in the past five years.
The untapped power of today’s student
The students of today aren’t just names in a recruitment database. They are intuitive digital natives who speak the language of digital and big data platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Telegram, and Discord without needing a team of seniors or mentors to figure it out for them. While being skilled to use technology they continue to cultivate and live the culture surrounding the various communications and community platforms.
Being driven by big data tech platforms, often juggling part-time jobs, demanding academic schedules, and personal projects, the segment of workers continues to possess an eager-to-solve mentality that has not yet been dulled by corporate bureaucracy. The traditional ways of engagement with Gen Z interns may not be the right approach!
So how can brands rethink engagement with interns?
This could mean engaging with them through departments or functions that align well with technology or through the newest ways of transaction, automation and implementation etc.
Brands should see them as real-time market analysts, authentic culture guides for the new generations, and urgent problem-solvers, not just as temporary administrative help. The rigidity of a few-week internship simply doesn’t suit every student or every business need.
Some have already taken note of the trend. Several brands and startups in the edtech, travel and tourism, health tech, and agri-tech domains continue to hire interns and nurture them as employees of tomorrow. Thus, brands need to build a portfolio of flexible engagements.
What can be done?
Clearing creative Challenges: Imagine posing a genuine brand problem and engaging the Gen Z interns to deliver a brilliant high-impact actionable marketing and external outreach programme.
A consulting gig under the banner: A team of interns could be asked to work on a new product prototype targeting the youth. In such a scenario, while the brand would get real market inputs, the students would get a guaranteed portfolio to showcase on their resume.
Can this be a win-win for everyone?
One often loves and cherishes her first job! Interns hired through a process of evaluation often are empowered ambassadors for the brand. Here’s how everyone stands to gain:
The brand’s gain: Brands get instant agility—a burst of creative energy applied to a specific, urgent need. Businesses secure authentic relevance because interns are literally shaping the message intended for their peers, drastically reducing the risk of a misguided campaign. The brand gets to assess a candidate’s actual work ethic, problem-solving skills, and teamwork in a real-world context before offering them a full-time role.
The intern’s gain: For students, this is a breath of fresh air. They get an opportunity to participate in high-value projects. This helps to build a tangible portfolio that proves their capabilities, which is far more powerful than listing vague responsibilities from a traditional internship. They gain real-world currency, understanding the actual pressures of business, making them better candidates for every job after graduation.
Keep it simple
Brands do not need a huge budget or a massive overhaul. They only need a slight change in perspective: Seeking Collaborators instead of interns can help graduates in a more meaningful way.
Isolating a manageable challenge and asking them to find simple solutions is a more honest approach. Brands need to value the contribution by giving a stipend too. It would mean that the exchange is valuable and the brand is respectful of their time and insight.
The future of brand success lies in continuous, authentic engagement with the audience that matters most. The internship will always have its place, but by building these flexible bridges, brands can create an exhilarating creative environment.
(The author is Mythri Kumar, Co-Founder, Timbuckdo.)
