Now, more than ever before college students will bend over backwards to get an internship. In fact, internships have become competitive enough that some companies have created full-time positions dedicated to recruiting interns. The internship position is crucial, because recent graduates looking for full-time employment need more than just stellar grade point average, they need real-world experience.

Internships provide students the opportunity to "test drive" a career, establish relationships, network and gain a real-world perspective; however, some employers do not have the budget to pay these interns. Such employers may offer class credit in exchange for the experience, but for many students this is not a realistic option. Summer is a crucial time to save money for the expenses that come along with college; therefore, this poses a real problem. How is one supposed to save money and market themselves to future employers?

Luckily, Workum relieves this stress, by providing college students with an opportunity-rich summer internship. Read on to see how some of the Workum interns gain real-life experience.

Name: Caroline Abel

University: The Ohio State University

Year: Sophomore

Major: Marketing Minor: Fashion and Retail and Communication Technology

Internship placement: JVS Career Services

Favorite part of job: I enjoy meeting all new people and building connections.

Goals for internship: I am interested in the behind the scenes work. I want to learn more about how businesses are run and the different opportunities that are available in the Jewish community.

Animal Icon: Dolphin

Name: Ben Ruskin

University: The Ohio State University

Year: Sophomore

Major: Moving Image Production Minor: Film Studies

Internship placement: Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)

Favorite part of job: I enjoy talking with people who have different viewpoints than I and learning about different perspectives in the community.

Goals for internship: I study film and television and editing video is important, so my goals include enhancing my editing and video skills. I also hope to expand my network by making connections with my colleagues.

Animal Icon: Lion, because sometimes my hair looks like a lion’s mane.

Name: Ashley Schlaeger

University: The Ohio State University

Year: Sophomore

Major: Marketing Minor: Leadership Studies

Internship placement: Adath Israel Congregation-Marketing division

Favorite part of job: I love the fact that I get to know a variety of different people. What’s cool about the Cincinnati Kosher BBQ event is that there are so many different parts of it, and I get to see how everyone’s combined efforts work together to make something come together. It’s a team effort.

Goals for internship: Judaism and Marketing are two of my passions, and this internship provides me with the opportunity to see how these worlds work together. I want to learn more about event planning, and ultimately, I want to gain experience that will help me land a future job.

Animal Icon: Dog, because I have a lot of energy and I like learning new things.