This is a user experience (UX) case study based on the “Internship Program Strategic Plan” document that I created and have developed since December 2021.
Introduction
For a majority of its existence, the internship program was a babysitting factory for children of executives and board of directors. When the program director left in the middle of the 2021 intern cycle, our learning and development team was asked to take it over and guide it to its merciful end. Questions arose on whether it made any business sense to continue this program, as it was providing little to no true value to the organization. In December 2021, I was asked to take over the program and turn it into a legitimate internship program that would develop a talent pipeline for the organization.
User Research
I spent the next two weeks researching what makes an internship program effective. I spoke to program managers from different organizations within the industry on their challenges and successes. I also interviewed former interns and hiring managers within the organization asking three simple questions:
- What did you like about your internship experience?
- What did you dislike about your internship experience?
- If you had a magic wand, what would be one big change that would have made your experience better?
Problem Statement
After conducting all the interviews, I collected the qualitative data and looked for correlations and themes that would help in developing a strategic plan for the program.
I identified several challenges, like the technology transition from university to corporate (which is difficult for interns), lack of meaningful work, and the lack of effective quantitative and qualitative measurements for program success. This led to the development of our problem statement and driver for everything else with the program:
How do we cultivate a talent pipeline that converts eligible high-performing interns into quality employees?
Solution
With the problem statement in place, I developed our Mission, Vision, and Values that would guide us towards answering that question.
Mission Statement
We want to cultivate a talent pipeline that converts eligible high performing interns into quality employees.
Vision Statements
- Every internship should be the practical application of the theoretical knowledge learned at the university.
- The intern experience will be innovative and transformative by developing the personal, professional, and business capacity of every intern.
Values
- Encourage and support a learning culture that allows our interns to focus on gaining new experiences, growing their professional network, and exposing them to our company culture.
- Provide support to interns, hiring managers, and other stakeholders without removing responsibility.
The program offers several solutions to address these challenges that align with our MVV:
- The development of an Intern Training Plan, which provides a template for hiring managers to map out the intern’s work for the entire summer.
- A targeted LinkedIn Learning curriculum to quickly meet the technology needs of the interns and speed up the onboarding process.
- The Interns in Innovation Project, a stretch assignment that allows interns to apply their knowledge in a practical setting.
- Regular Company and Culture Learning meetings where senior leaders discuss the company culture and business aspects.
User Journey
The strategic plan outlines the journey of an intern, from the initial recruitment and onboarding process to the completion of the internship. This includes day-to-day work, weekly meetings, and a final presentation of the Interns in Innovation stretch assignment to the Enterprise Innovation Council.
Personal Capacity: These are the identified “soft skills” that the intern will develop during their internship. They are personalized based on the role and the skill set of the incoming intern.
Professional Capacity: These are the identified “technical skills” that the intern will develop during their internship. They are personalized based on the role and the field of study of the incoming intern.
Business Capacity: These refer to exposure and understanding of how to work in a corporate environment.
Results and Feedback
The success of the program is measured through the following Key Performance Indicators:
- Conversion rate of eligible interns to employees.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) ratings from interns and hiring managers.
Exit interviews are conducted with interns, hiring managers, peer partners, and stakeholders at the end of each internship cycle to collect both qualitative and quantitative feedback.
Since taking over the program, we have seen a significant increase in NPS score for interns and hiring managers. We are over 50 for both, which far surpasses the industry average. Our conversion rate has also improved every year, but due to external factors such as the company sale and reduction of workforce, we are not converting at the rate of the industry standard yet.
Future Improvements
The strategic plan is reviewed annually, with key stakeholders meeting to develop program goals for the coming intern cycle. This ensures that the program continues to evolve and improve based on feedback and changing needs.
Instructional Design by Don Becker 