Preparing Your Team for Student Internship

I remember the first time we took on a student intern. Someone asked where they should sit and we all just stared at each other for a second, realising… we hadn’t thought about it. No welcome pack, no induction plan, no idea what they were actually going to do. Just a vague sense that this was a good idea.

And it was. But it took some trial and error to make it work. A student internship can bring fresh thinking and real energy to your business, especially if you’re a small team, but it does take a bit of prep, especially if you’ve never done it before.

If you’re running an SME, your team’s probably already juggling a lot: roles, tasks, responsibilities that don’t always fit neatly into job descriptions. So bringing in someone new, especially a student with little workplace experience, can feel like a bit of a curveball at first. But with the right mindset, it’s a real opportunity. Interns bring fresh eyes, new energy, and if you’ve been winging a process for years, an intern will find it within a week. And that’s a good thing.

What is a student intern?

It sounds obvious, but it’s worth saying out loud: a student intern isn’t a junior hire. They’re likely still in education, possibly juggling deadlines, exams, and part-time jobs. What they’re looking for is experience: real, hands-on insight into how a workplace runs and what it’s like to be part of a team.

You don’t need to build an elaborate training programme (although gold star if you want to), but your intern will need some structure, clear expectations, and a bit of patience as they find their feet. Think of them less like a temp and more like a mentee: someone who’s here to learn, not to already know.

Set expectations early, and repeat them more than once

This is one of those things that sounds simple but makes all the difference. Before your intern even walks through the door (or logs onto the Slack workspace), make sure your team knows what they’ll be doing, who they’ll be reporting to, and what support they’ll need.

Even better – write it down. A one-pager with things like working hours, key contacts, basic dos and don’ts, and an outline of the intern’s role can save a lot of confusion. It also shows you’re taking the student internship seriously, which helps set the tone for everyone else.

Also: assign a buddy or point of contact. Doesn’t have to be formal. Just someone who’s happy to answer questions like “where’s the milk?” and “how do I book a meeting room?” (or “what’s a meeting room?”, you never know).

Think small wins, not sweeping success stories

When people talk about internships, there’s a tendency to focus on the big transformations, like the student who restructured the company’s CRM system or created a viral TikTok campaign. That’s great if it happens, but it puts a lot of pressure on everyone.

Instead, aim for achievable wins. Maybe your intern can help you finally sort out the shared drive. Or test out a new process. Or shadow a few meetings and write up what they learned. Bite-sized contributions can be just as valuable and often give them a better understanding of how different parts of your business connect.

Make time for feedback, both ways

Even if your student intern is only with you for a few weeks, regular check-ins are a good idea. Not long, just ten or fifteen minutes once or twice a week to ask how things are going, whether they feel clear on what they’re doing, and if anything’s surprised them so far.

And invite feedback too. Ask what they were expecting, what’s lived up to that, and what hasn’t. It’s easy to assume something’s obvious when you’ve been doing it for years, but a fresh perspective often highlights things you didn’t realise were confusing, or brilliant.

Wrap things up properly

Don’t let the internship just fizzle out. Plan a short wrap-up chat or informal presentation, where your intern can share what they’ve worked on and what they’ve learned. It gives them a chance to reflect and gives you insight into what worked and what didn’t.

If you’re happy with how things went, offer to be a reference. A little encouragement goes a long way, especially at the start of someone’s career. And who knows, they might end up working with you again down the line.

A student internship isn’t just for the student

Yes, it’s a learning opportunity for them, but also for you and your team. It makes you look at how you communicate, what you prioritise, and what kind of environment you’re creating. And more often than not, you’ll come away with a renewed appreciation for the work you do and the people you do it with.

You don’t need to reinvent your business for a student internship. You just need to open the door, show them around, and be willing to learn a little too.