They provide practical learning experiences and the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals. In its 2019 Internship & Co-op Survey Report, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that:

• More than 72% of internship hosts offer jobs to their students.
• Former interns outperform their inexperienced colleagues or those who interned with another organization.
• The one-year retention rate for intern hires with internal experience is 71%, while it is 59% for those with external internship experience. The five-year retention rate for intern hires with internal experience is 44% compared to 37% for those with external experience.

Additionally, retention rates for interns who have become full-time employees is much higher, which is another significant benefit for employers.

The APIC taskforce for the IP Academic Pathway created this Accelerated Internship Program Guide to help prepare individuals interested in a career in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC).

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for more specifically trained resources in IPC, and this Accelerated Internship Program was created to fill that need. The IPC workforce is educated, competent, and trained to address contemporary IPC dynamics that exist in healthcare and other organizations today and the Accelerated Internship Program will prepare the future workforce for the healthcare dynamics of the future.

The Accelerated Internship Program guide was created by subject matter experts to provide an initial framework for those organizations desiring to introduce students to IPC as well as create a pipeline of talent.