35% of College Students’ Summer Internships Canceled, Says New Survey

As much as 35% of college students’ summer internships have been canceled, according to a new survey.

In addition, 24% of students have been informed their summer internship will be virtual, said the survey conducted by Yello, a talent acquisition software platform and online polling company, SurveyMonkey. The two companies surveyed 913 current college students in the U.S. and Canada. The survey was conducted this year from April 10-15, which was after the coronavirus infection was declared a pandemic and after the federal government declared a national health emergency.

“We remember how difficult the 2008 recession was for both employers and student job seekers, and we know that the COVID-19 outbreak poses similar challenges,” said Yello co-founder and CEO, Jason Weingarten. “The good news is that today’s technology makes hiring, onboarding, and remote work easier than ever before. As companies big and small consider internship next steps, we encourage them to adapt by offering remote options rather than canceling internships altogether. Continuing to invest in early talent development is crucial to the success of the future workforce, and is key to ensuring a lasting talent pipeline for your organization.”

Still, for students who have been offered a virtual internship, top concerns are that the experience won’t be as good, that they won’t be able to prove their value enough to receive a full-time offer, and that they won’t get to meet their team in person.