Enternships
From Entrepedia: The Entrepreneurship Wiki
Enternships (http://www.enternships.com) is an organization providing work placement opportunities which allow future entrepreneurs to gain practical experience of business and enterprise. It began its life as part of the Oxford Entrepreneurs society and is now one of the largest programmes of its kind for supporting and encouraging student entrepreneurship.
The Organisation acts as a specialized recruitment agency connecting motivated and ambitious young entrepreneurs with start-ups, small businesses and larger organizations which provide entrepreneurial internships and full-time placements throughout the world.
Why an Enternship?
Enternships focuses on entrepreneurial work placements to ensure that our participants benefit from 'hands on' business experience. The characteristics of an enternship include:
- A wide range of experience - making the role varied, challenging, and usually fun.
- Often interns will be able to work directly with the founders of the company.
- The opportunity to develop a wide range of transferable skills and knowledge.
- Early responsibility.
- Greater input into company practice, procedures and future plans.
- Opportunity to see ideas put into practice.
- More control over career and progression.
- Seeing how the best to start-up a business before doing it for real.
- Work as part of a small highly motivated and dedicated team.
- Working hours may be more flexible.
- Usually less red tape and bureaucracy.
- For enternships abroad, get a feel for working in another country.
Some of the many reasons for doing an enternship include:
- Experience of working in an entrepreneurial and dynamic environment, widely regarded as the steepest learning curve
- Experience of working closely with already successful businessmen and entrepreneurs
- Potentially rewarding remuneration through shares and commission
- Potential for a job with the company in the future
- Experience of a more diverse work profile and carrying a high degree of responsibility - crucial for any good CV
- Opportunity to gain work experience all year round, when traditional internships are not widely available - e.g. Easter and Christmas vacations
Types of Placements
Enternships is designed to provide a wide range of work opportunities including part-time, short-term and full-time placements. The types of opportunities available vary but generally fall into four categories:
- Start-up: The entern is placed in a fast-changing and young company where his/her tasks may well not be structured – they will be working with the founders directly to get the business moving! Examples include any start-up or non-profit organisation with a successful model and potentially high growth.
- Project work: Project-based work in a company that has demonstrated an innovative or forward-thinking culture. The entern will work in a more established company on projects relevant to new business development and the dynamic side of the business. Examples include: exploring new markets, customer insight work, product launch strategies work etc.
- Remote / part-time work: Some placements may be not require you to be physically based in an office and may be conducted remotely, perhaps part-time alongside your studies or other work. Examples include research role, sales / marketing placements, an international firm, web community managers etc.
- One-off opportunities: Enternships from time to time will offer unique opportunities to work for high-profile successful / serial entrepreneurs who have already ‘made it' in their previous project(s).
