ABSTRACT
A technical communication internship is a period during which a student works as a technical communicator under supervision in a professional environment to gain practical experience. Internships usually are arranged to fulfill technical writing curriculum requirements, but occasionally they are apprenticeships independently undertaken to provide an individual some specific training. Internships may be a component of undergraduate coursework, may fall between graduation and graduate school, may be required in a graduate program, or may be an intermediate step before a permanent job. The success of any technical writing internship program is dependent on a well-planned effort that takes into account the expectations and requirements of the industrial sponsor, the student, and the academic program. The industrial sponsor enters into an internship agreement for a variety of reasons. Usually the sponsor’s primary goal is to hire an individual to accomplish specific tasks, and the secondary purpose is to offer experience to the intern.
