Amid cautious hiring, internship becomes mandatory and extended
companies are increasingly insisting that freshers undergo mandatory internships with them for an extended period before they make the final offers, delaying the hiring process that has just started seeing some activity after a washout year.
Placement officers in several tier-1 and -2 engineering colleges that ET spoke to said internships, which used to be six months, have now been extended by another four-six months.
“Employers are increasingly seeking fresh graduates with internship experience in AI/ML, data roles, model development and analytics,” said Munira Loliwala, vice president, strategy and growth, at staffing services firm TeamLease Digital. “The shortage of skilled entry-level talent has led companies to offer extended internships, enhancing the likelihood of hiring through management trainee programs later.”
It’s a new trend that has emerged this year, said KS Shridhar, dean – placement and training, at Bengaluru-based PES University. “Normally, after the last semester when students pursue their internship, they get their offer letters. But this year, many companies have extended their internship period to a couple of more months.”
Technology services firms are increasingly demanding internships, while the global capability centres (GCCs) of multinationals are making it compulsory, said Samuel Rajkumar V, director of career development centre at Vellore Institute of Technology. “Either it is internship-cum-placements or placements and internship of six months. Some are also asking for one-year
