Internship and Career Opportunities for Students at UIUC

Each year of college brings new difficulties and experiences than the last. At some point in your college career, you must start thinking about your out-of-college career and how you can help yourself get there. This is where the internships and career opportunities that UIUC provides can be beneficial. 

UIUC is proud of how they set up their students for success, providing them with support and resources as they start thinking about their life after college. This article will highlight some of the best resources available at UIUC and help you look ahead to the next stage of your journey. 

The UIUC Advantage – Broad Network 

The benefit of attending UIUC is its reputation and excellence go beyond the classroom. With an extensive network at your disposal, there are many opportunities for internships and career development during your time as a student. With connections to industry leaders, alumni, and partnerships, there is something for anyone looking to advance their career. UIUC also has a far-reaching career services department that will help set you up for success. 

Internship Programs & Practice

With an incredibly diverse portfolio of fields being taught at UIUC, the internship program mirrors that. The Career Center provides aids and guides to all the ins and outs of securing the kind of internship that you want. They offer 10-15 min in-person sessions for reviewing resumes, LinkedIn profiles, cover letters, and Interview practice you can sign up for. 

Their website states that “Current undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in an on-campus degree program are eligible and can make appointments using our online system. Alumni are also eligible for one year post-graduation but will need to call 217-333-0820 to schedule”. 

They also provide advice before you start your search, a list of websites to search on, all the in-person practice and support, Career Fairs, and other events to get you in front of the companies you’re interested in. Check out all the resources for internship and job searches here. 

Research Opportunities 

For students looking to get into a more research-driven field, UIUC has tons of opportunities to expand your knowledge while getting your name out there in your field. Instead of an internship, you could utilize the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP). The URAP page says that his program “ offers undergraduate students with little or no research experience the opportunity to work with graduate students and post-doctoral scholars on their research projects, explore the culture and process of research, and build on their existing abilities within a community of scholars. Running each Spring semester, the undergraduate component of URAP consists of two equally important parts: a one-on-one research experience with their research mentor and the Introduction to Research course”. Open to all undergraduate students, this opportunity can help you focus your field of research and advance your knowledge and experience on how to make this a career. 

Job Search 

With the vast network and resources UIUC provides to its students, the best is the extensive help they provide when you start searching for a job for when you graduate, post-graduation, and in years to come. Their virtual job board is the go-to site for searching for jobs in your field after school or if you’re looking to join the UIUC family as a staff member. There are multiple job boards, including one for on-campus jobs, that you can apply for at any time when you’re a student. They also have a job board for Chicago, Springfield, and elsewhere. UIUC also has a partnership with handshake.com, where “Thousands of internships and post-graduation jobs are posted annually” according to illinois.edu. 

Career Fair and Other Events

The cherry on top of the internship and career opportunities at UIUC is the vast amount of in-person and virtual events they have to help you prepare for the job market and meet people in your field. Just in January of this year, the Career Center is hosting the following, which you can find on their online calendar here –  

Career Programs for International Students – Info Session

“Attend this Info Session to learn more about all the career development programs designed for international students. […] a nationally awarded program helps international students become more competitive job/internship candidates. Through a 9-week series of workshops, peer mentoring, immersive experiences, and learning activities you will build a high level of career competence and learn practical information, skills, and strategies.”

FOCUS Info Session

“FOCUS is an intensive semester-long program created to aid in eliminating the gap in post-graduation outcomes and starting salaries between underrepresented, first-generation students and their peers to positively impact their career trajectory, earnings potential, and economic security for years to come.”

ICD: Building a Strong Foundation: Career Planning for Diverse Students

“Join us for a dynamic and interactive 60-minute workshop designed to empower students from diverse backgrounds in their career planning journey. This session is crafted to provide practical insights and hands-on activities to help you build a strong foundation for your future. This workshop is tailored to address the unique needs and challenges faced by first-generation students, typically belonging to a group historically underrepresented in education which typically includes African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Latinx, Pacific Islanders, etc”.