A Message to Students, Host Companies, and Faculty Advisors:
Even though internships have been a part of the higher education scene for a long time, there is still confusion, inconsistency, and lack of understanding of what an internship should be. The following information is provided in an attempt to provide a standardized template for an internship, be it with an advertising agency, a media company, or a brand's marketing department.
The goal, over time, is for everyone to accept these templates as the industry standard, thereby assuring a consistently high quality educational experience throughout the Portland advertising community. There is already interest nationally in these standards.
Students are urged to take this template to their host company as a way of communicating the student's and the University's expectations. standards.
Host companies are urged to review this template to make sure they are willing to invest the time to deliver the experience as outlined.standards.
Faculty advisors are encouraged to use the template for management and evaluation purposes.
The internship described below is expected to be a 10-11 week experience earning the student a graded three (3) or four (4) credit hours and requiring an average of 12-16 hours per week spent with the host company.
OVERVIEW
This internship is an educational experience, intended to provide the student with an overview of how an advertising media company operates, plus practical experience in an area of interest such as sales or promotion. To be consistent with Department of Labor guidelines, the internship should be broad in scope and not designed to replace or provide additional staffing for routine, repetitive work.During the term of the internship, there should be one executive at the host company who acts as the internship supervisor. This executive should have the responsibility and authority to assure that the internship provides the opportunity for the following list of learning objectives and activities to be accomplished.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- To gain a complete overview understanding of what functions are performed in an advertising media company.
- To understand the working relationship between the various functions in the media company including sales, traffic, and promotion.
- To understand the working relationship that the media company has with its local advertising agency clients, direct clients, and national sales organization.
- To understand what the media company's promotion department does and its relationship with other advertising media used in company promotions.
- To perform specific tasks in at least one area of interest that will significantly enhance the understanding of that function.
ACTIVITIES
Senior Management
Interview the media company's CEO or other senior executive to broaden the student's understanding of the advertising media business, its trends and challenges.Sales
Interview the local sales manager to obtain management view of the sales function.Observe and participate in sales meeting and a presentation of a proposal to an agency media buyer or direct client.
Observe a negotiation session.
Assist in the research and preparation of a sales proposal.
Interview the national sales manager to better understand the functions of a national sales organization and how national sales relates to the local operations.
Perform some sort of audience research using recognized media industry sources.
Production and Traffic Departments
Observe and participate in the creative services provided to a direct client.Observe the production of ads for direct clients.
Observe and assist in the flow of ads and orders though the organization.
Promotion Department
Interview the Promotion Manager to understand the role of the Promotion Department.Participate in one company promotion in some meaningful way.
Accounting
Interview the Director of Accounting to better understand the functions of that department.Reconcile a media company invoice with an agency media order.
Walk through the billing process and an actual billing with a sales Account Executive for a major agency or direct client.
STUDENT DELIVERABLES
Maintain diary of daily activities. This diary is for reference purposes when preparing the final report and may be requested by the faculty advisor.Check in via e-mail with faculty advisor once a week or more to report progress, or lack there of, in accomplishing the above list of activities and objectives.
Arrange (at faculty advisor's request) a tour of host company and meeting with the general manager.
Submit a final report summarizing the highlights of the internship relative to Learning Objectives and list of prescribed Activities. This report should not exceed five pages and should be reviewed with faculty advisor as part of the final evaluation.
Have the host company supervisor complete a sealed evaluation form to be submitted by the student to their faculty advisor with their final report.