College students are running into complications with summer internships, including some being canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Several companies have expressed interest in interns hopefully in the fall, however at this time everything is on a wait situation," said Toni Mansion.
According to data from the job site Glassdoor, the number of open internships in the U.S. has been cut in half because of the pandemic. With so many companies freezing their internship programs, Toni Mansion Director of Career Services at South Louisiana Community College says it's even more important for students to be prepared.
"Let's go ahead and get a resume created, lets do a mock interview over zoom. So, when these opportunities do present themselves you're ready to go," she said.
Even though some employers aren't hiring right away, it doesn't hurt to contact the business or organization to show interest.
"It's always a good idea to reach out and network with employers. During that time you can have the conversation about where they're at in their hiring process, and see if they're accepting resumes," she said.
Despite job openings being limited, Mansion says at SLCC they're currently trying to fill two internships and other colleges are doing the same.
"All the colleges and universities probably have some opportunities available. So students should reach out to their career departments to see what's available," she said.
