The best day of the year is finally here! That’s right, it’s National Intern Day! And this year, we’re celebrating the fifth year anniversary of creating this holiday in 2017.
National Intern Day is a holiday dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the world’s future leaders (interns)! WayUp created the holiday back in 2017 to bring attention to the challenges and inequalities that entry-level candidates face in the workforce. Here at WayUp, we know that internships are not just a “nice to have” on a student’s resume. They are a real opportunity to change the makeup of the workforce for years to come.
Since launching the holiday, we’ve helped thousands of employers across the entire country commemorate their intern class each year — while also putting inequities students and recent grads face into the spotlight. The national holiday also coordinates with WayUp’s coveted Top 100 Internship Programs List, which showcases the employers who go above and beyond for their interns. (There’s still time to submit until 11:59pm PT on July 29, 2021!)
One of the biggest, most positive changes employers can make to help close the diversity gap is paying their interns. Not only do paid internships drive more equality in the workplace, but they have the potential to change the world.
So WayUp set out to create a national holiday to help companies see how investing in a diverse internship program can be an investment in the future of their company. After all, today’s interns are the leaders of tomorrow — and what companies do today will directly shape our future. Watch this video to learn more about why we’re committed to this movement:
If you’re still not convinced, see why Forbes has said that National Intern Day was “creating workplace reform across America.”
So, yes, today is a big deal. But how are companies celebrating the big day? This year, we’ve found that companies have been getting really creative—with awesome plans to celebrate their interns and fun ways to encourage votes for their companies to get on the Top 100 list. Social media plays a big part in the celebration every year, and our team loves to follow #nationalinternday in the weeks before and after the holiday to see how companies are making the day their own. When employers and interns take the time to highlight on social media using #nationalinternday, it helps to continue the conversation about the importance of internships.
As one example, in a company-wide email, GE shared its plans with us for hosting a week-long celebration (filled with exciting thought leadership and Q&A sessions!) while encouraging its staff to vote.
Meanwhile, over in Milwaukee, eight companies (like Kohl’s and Northwestern Mutual) are joining forces for a March Madness-style intern competition. Interns from each company will have a chance to design a light show on Milwaukee’s newly lit Hoan Bridge that best reflects their company’s brand, culture, values, etc. Read the press release for more details.
Then there are companies like Cisco who are turning to TikTok to drive more votes for the coveted Top 100 Internship Programs List. Stay tuned for the results coming out mid-August, and if you haven’t done so already, be sure to nominate your company by midnight PST on July 29, 2021.
You’re busy; we get it. But don’t worry, it’s not too late to join in on the fun! We put together 19 ideas for the perfect celebration—even virtually! Whether you’ve already got plans or you’re just now putting them together, don’t forget to show off how you’ll be celebrating by tagging @WayUp on social media and using the hashtag #nationalinternday
