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The Best Internships For 2010

Internships can be an excellent way to transition to a new career.

Interns in the Sacramento, Calif., Capital Fellows Program help draft state laws. They also write speeches, conduct policy briefings and take part in graduate-level seminars in government and public policy. So steeped are they in the work of real-life policymaking that many get offered full-time jobs in California's state government when they finish the 10-month program, which runs from October to September. In addition, they get paid a handsome $1,972 a month, receive academic credit and get health insurance that includes dental and vision benefits.

That combination of meaningful work experience, pay, perks and career opportunities lands the Capital Fellows Program on a list of the nation's top internships. The Vault Guide to Top Internships, lists 785 programs. From that list, Vault's staff culled the top 10 by evaluating each job according to criteria that include pay and perks, training, mentorship and chances of getting a real job at the end of it all. Criteria used to make the decision on the top internships included:

  • Which offer the best mentorship and career advancement opportunities?
  • How involved are interns in the company?
  • Which provide the best compensation (in terms of pay, opportunities and freebies)?
  • What do the interns have to say about their experience?
  • Which give resumes that special boost — what we call "resume radiance"?

For instance, those interested in consumer and aviation technology should consider a stint at Garmin International, the maker of navigation and ommunication equipment including GPS systems. An impressive 90% of Garmin's interns get job offers at the end of its program. The internships run 12 to 14 weeks in the summer and six months in the fall and spring.

Vault's top 10 lists include two arts institutions, the Smithsonian, in Washington, D.C., and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, in Chicago. Steppenwolf, the spawning ground of the superstars John Malkovich, Joan Allen and its cofounder Gary Sinise, takes 39 interns a year, and they learn, hands-on, the workings of a professional theater. Their work runs the gamut from fundraising and publicity to casting, carpentry, sound, stage and wardrobe work. Biweekly intern seminars with theater professionals enrich the experience.

Source: Forbes, Susan Adams, 1/13/09