blogs / 21 APR 2022
Cartus’ 2022 Internship Program Pulse Survey Report: Sourcing Future Talent Amidst the Ongoing Pandemic and a Housing Scarcity
We conducted the 2022 Internship Program Pulse Survey to take a close look at the state of internship programs and the impact of factors—including the pandemic, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and rising housing costs—on this year's programs across a variety of industries. Read the full 2022 Internship Program Pulse Survey Report here.
Organizations interested in growing their talent pool internally have relied on internship programs year after year to develop new talent. Over the past few years, COVID-19 directly impacted programs, often resulting in cancellations or virtual programs which were unexpected.
We conducted the 2022 Internship Program Pulse Survey to take a close look at the state of internship programs and the impact of factors—including the pandemic, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and rising housing costs—on this year's programs across a variety of industries.
Sourcing Future Talent
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to creating an internship program, our survey participants demonstrated that, large or small, internship programs are key to filling resource gaps and sourcing future talent. Sixty-four percent of respondents believe that cancelling internship programs could result in a talent pool shortage; fortunately, the majority did not find it necessary to cancel this year.
In 2020 and 2021, many organizations shifted to virtual programs due to the ongoing pandemic. This year, however, the majority of organizations are conducting in-person internships with only a handful offering hybrid options.
Addressing the Housing Market
Another major impact to internship programs for 2022 is the housing scarcity. Half of this year's respondents do not anticipate the housing crisis to impact their 2022 plans, and 57% of respondents will not be assisting their interns in finding housing despite the ongoing housing market. To mitigate the difficulty of finding affordable options, companies are turning to lump sum benefits to assist interns in locating housing on their own terms. Other notable ways in which companies are assisting their interns in 2022 include providing a salary and granting miscellaneous allowances and travel en route reimbursement.
Considering DE&I Initiatives
For future programs, organizations may want to consider providing additional support to international interns. Although 29% provide immigration support, no company provides language training or cultural training, and respondents only addressed tax implications for their international interns. While DE&I is of increasing importance to organizations, there is not enough support yet for interns in the areas of language communications and cultural assimilation to ensure a sense of belonging.
Overall, the 2022 Internship Program Pulse Survey provided a valuable look into this year's anticipated internship programs. While the pandemic and scarcity of housing continue to challenge programs across various industries, companies are becoming increasingly more agile and inclusive in order to achieve continued success. For more information about supporting your organization's internship program, contact us at cartussolutions@cartus.com today.
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Cindy Madden
