Students involved in an intern program can receive an hourly stipend along with a position as a lead intern. Lead interns help form strong communication between new interns and the organization's staff. She gives the new interns advice about the program and mentors the new interns whenever they struggle with work. A paid lead intern may receive additional pay on top of the regular hourly stipend.
Depending on the industry profession, a student must have certain qualifications to become involved in an internship program. Frequently, students need a GPA of 3.5 or higher on their transcripts and work a certain number of hours a week; however, this is subject to the specific requirements of the internship and the field in which the student wishes to intern. If the student is a foreign intern, he must provide proof of his identity and U.S. work authorization by supplying original documentation. Normally an intern who has returned to the organization for a second year to attain continued training, a lead intern will have prior experience with the staff and the way the company or organization functions.
While internships are open to many college students, high school students can also obtain an intern position. The position may last for the summer or for the full year of school. An internship can also give students the opportunity to travel abroad. A paid lead intern may oversee new interns during employment in other countries, such as managing activities while with a traveling film company shooting in foreign locales.
Some organizations and colleges offer leadership-focused intern programs. LEAD programs, which stands for Learn, Experience Develop, allow for the paid intern to acquire skills in the organization where the student will be employed. LEAD interns focus on project-driven activities in business areas. Students can be in an undergraduate program in their sophomore, junior or senior year to apply for these internships.