The Power of Internships: Advice for Companies and Prospective Interns

Internships for university students have been around for decades. The electric power sector has long used internship programs to introduce students to the industry, develop relationships with universities, and recruit successful employees. During the 1950s and 1960s, electricity usage rose at a rate of 5% in many parts of the world, and the electric power industry boomed. In response, universities began requiring electrical engineering students to take some power systems courses. Then in the 1970s, oil embargoes drove up the cost of electricity significantly in the United States. Energy conservation programs and a slowed economy curtailed growth in electricity demand and subsequently the need for more power systems engineers. Many power engineering programs reduced their numbers or closed, and electrical engineers focused more on telecommunications, electronics, and computer engineering. The power industry still requires engineers for these areas, but are not in as short supply.