The Ultimate Remote Internship Guide For Parents

More and more companies are embracing the shift to remote work, and internships as a way for businesses to upskill and expand their global workforce are on the rise. Call it whatever you want, remote, virtual, digital, or online internship; it’s here to stay, and for good reasons. 

2022 saw a shift in how students approach higher education, with many confirming that the money and time invested should lead to feeling and being career-ready. With both companies and students questioning the ROI of a degree and curriculums not keeping up with the fast-paced modern workplace, remote internships are an intelligent way for students and graduates to explore the modern professional world and ensure they won't get left behind by not being work-ready. 

While the concept is increasingly popular amongst employers and students, remote internships can raise a lot of questions for parents. So, allow us to clear the haze for you with this ultimate guide for parents.

What is a Remote Internship?

A remote internship gives your child a chance to:

• gain professional work experience
• develop essential skills
• boost employability
• explore new career fields, industries, and job roles, 
• get acquainted with remote work culture (the future of work).

Interns will work on projects and collaborate with their team, as they would in a traditional internship, but remotely. Your child will be working online, often from home, using virtual communication and collaboration tools, giving them the upper hand over new-age technology.

In a nutshell, remote internships are the perfect balance of professional work experience and education that enhances the overall employability of a student. 

6 Reasons Why Your Child Should Do a Remote Internship

Despite the rise in remote work culture amidst the global pandemic, virtual internships aren’t new. For example, in a 2010 research by HR Dive, 84% of students expressed willingness to participate in an online program. 

Today, remote internships have become the norm, with startups to fortune 500 companies offering virtual internship opportunities to students. So if you are still in doubt if this is for your child, here are six reasons that can prove why a remote internship might be one of the best career decisions for the student.

1) They’ll Learn Vital Skills to Boost Employability

Recently we outlined the five major challenges facing universities in 2023. At the top is – employers prioritizing skills over a degree. While this issue concerns educational institutes, it’s an equal, if not a bigger, concern of students who aspire to build thriving careers. 

Fortunately, remote internships can help your child fill this skill gap. 

Remotely operating companies will expose interns to high-end technologies, tools, excellent virtual communication, and team collaboration opportunities. They’ll learn skills crucial for success in the post-pandemic world as companies look for candidates comfortable working remotely. 

Additionally, it will help the student develop self-discipline, time management, and digital literacy, all of which are essential for performing well in a remote work environment.

Plus, most interns end up winning full-time employment offer letters after the internship’s conclusion (1 in 4 interns get offered opportunities with their host company immediately upon completion.) But, even if they don’t get a full-time offer, they’ll be coming out as more employable and skilled candidates that the recruiters want.

2) Intern at Exciting Global Companies

With virtual internships, your child will no longer be confined to companies in your region. Virtual work placements are open to aspiring interns across borders, opening doors to infinite opportunities to explore new jobs and industries they might not get to explore in traditional internships within reach of where they live. 

Not to forget, your child will work with a diverse team, lending them a unique cultural perspective and a truly global experience. 

3) Cost-Effective

The cost of relocating to a new city or country for an internship, added with daily commutes, sums up to massive amounts – especially in large cities like San Francisco, London, New York, etc.

However, on remote internships, the child will be working from home, removing pesky costs for public transport, parking or petrol. 

4) Minimal Risk, Maximum Experience

Flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of a remote internship, especially for school and university students. Most remote internships are made to fit easily into students’ schedules. Therefore your child will not have to put college on hold and work in traditional 9-5 office hours.

Moreover, if they get an internship opportunity in a high-growth startup with a flat hierarchy (a majority of VI’s host companies), they can wear multiple hats and learn far more than a project assigned to them.

With no risk (no loss of studies or work-life imbalance), a remote internship lets students reap maximum benefits in terms of both skills and work experience. Not to mention they are also learning how to work remotely effectively.

Read Next: Startup Internships: Why More Students Are Choosing Them

5) Gain More Clarity on Career Choices

With a plethora of options available today, it’s not uncommon for students to be confused about their career choices. However, with a remote internship, your child can ‘'try on' any career field before commiting to your degree choice. 

Along with exploring varied industries and job roles online, the interning experience will also help them better understand what they might enjoy and excel at. 

Moreover, since remote internships can last from a few weeks to a few months, students can easily pursue them during their vacations or with their regular college schedules, as mentioned in #4.

Therefore, encouraging your child to take up an online internship in various fields of their choice right from school days can help them better route their way into the right career.

6) Learn the World of Remote Employment

The future of work is evolving and students need to be equipped with the skills they need to enable them to access the 97 million emerging jobs of the future - most of which will involve remote working in some form. 

Young career starters will need skills such as communication, adaptability, independence, self discipline, and motivation to succeed in a remote environment. 

Where can Students Find Remote Internships?

We’re sure that by now, you understand why so many students, educational institutes, and companies love remote internships. Now, if you are ready to help your child find a remote internship, here are the three routes that might lead you to the perfect fit:

Attend Career Fairs

Encourage your student to attend both virtual and in-person career fairs in their school/university. Ask them to regularly check the college’s website for an upcoming career fair.

Once a career fair is on the horizon, help them conduct thorough research about participating employers and teach them how to approach the recruiters for remote internship opportunities.  

Browse Employment Websites

Leverage online employment websites like Indeed and LinkedIn. Look for companies with remote internship openings, and scan the information about expectations, responsibilities, compensation, minimum qualities, etc., to ensure it fits your child’s needs.

Prepare a list of the best opportunities with your child and help them submit their resumes/CVs and cover letters for the position.

Apply Directly to a Company

Since many companies offer remote internship programs, you can also keep an eye out for companies that align well with your child’s interests and abilities. Check the companies’ career webpage consistently and if the opening is there, encourage your child to apply.

Secure Your Child’s Future Right Now

While the above options can work, with unemployment rates skyrocketing, finding a value-adding remote internship can be challenging, especially without professional guidance. That’s where you come in -- you’ve been in the working world and no doubt can guide your child in the right direction. 

Or, you can give your child a nod in the direction of some more information so they can enroll themselves on the Virtual Internships platform. 

With thousands of host companies in 45+ countries, we match aspiring interns with a global company that aligns with their course, interest, and skills. Offering internships in 18 different career fields, we’ve already helped over 6,000 interns secure high-value remote internships and set their careers up for success.

Read Next: Why Choose a Virtual Internship Over a Traditional One [12 Reasons]