10 Ideas to Make National Intern Day Engaging and Purposeful
National Intern Day is the perfect opportunity for organizations to appreciate and recognize the contributions of their interns. By doing so, companies can strengthen relationships with employees, attract and retain top talent, and foster a positive company culture. Interns play a vital role in an organization's human resources, and celebrating this day helps organizations to recognize their value, create a mutually beneficial relationship, and provide a platform for interns to showcase their skills.
When is National Intern Day 2023?
National Intern Day is celebrated annually on the last Thursday of July across America. In 2023, National Intern Day is on July 27th.
This celebration is different from International Interns Day held annually on November 10, which is recognized by the European Commission and observed predominantly across European cities by the European Youth Forum.
10 National Intern Day ideas to make workplace celebrations impactful
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- Panel discussion
Use this national intern day to Invite guest speakers from various departments and backgrounds to share their experiences and insights with your interns. The discussions can provide valuable information on different career paths and opportunities within the company and inspire and motivate your interns.
- Volunteering Day
Volunteering is a great way to celebrate National Intern Day as it enables interns to give back to communities while also building relationships with their colleagues. Impactful volunteering activities like resume reviews and mentorship sessions for underserved communities can be organized virtually or in person for interns. This is a valuable opportunity for interns to soak in organizational culture and learn about corporate purpose through service while developing valuable interpersonal skills.
If you're looking to introduce your corporate social purpose to interns this National Intern Day and beyond, check out our intern volunteer activities customizable to suit your needs.
- Meet and greet the executives
Being an intern can often mean never having the opportunity to meet the leaders who are at the helm of the organization. Provide interns with the opportunity to meet executives in the company, ask questions, and ideate their own strategies for company growth.
- Job shadowing
You can take it a step further on National Intern Day and provide opportunities for interns to shadow professionals in different departments to learn about their roles and responsibilities. This can give interns a better understanding of how the company operates and help them discover their potential value add to the organization.
- Lunch and learn
The next Intern Day idea is a tried-and-tested way to provide a valuable experience to interns in your company. Offer skill-building workshops that provide hands-on training and experience in various areas such as leadership, presentation making, project management, or inclusion. These can help interns build their skill sets and gain practical experience to become valued professionals. Nothing can complement these sessions better than a free meal.
- The industry “know-it-all” challenge
Nothing motivates like a challenge. Organize a competition where interns show off their industry knowledge with little-known facts. Have everyone vote on the best-hidden treasure. Everyone exits the room with more knowledge and the winner also takes home a voucher.
- Networking opportunities
One of the biggest obstacles for interns is to be the little fish in the big, wide sea. It's difficult for them to develop enough confidence to be loud with their ideas. National Intern Day is the perfect occasion to throw them to the sharks and host virtual and in-office networking events where the interns can mingle with industry professionals.
- Innovation challenge
Don’t forget that team building is just as important as skill building. Plan team-building activities that encourage collaboration and communication among interns and other employees. Divide the interns into teams with a challenge to ideate the best mascot or develop an advertising campaign for the organization. The winning presentation is declared the best team!
- Social media shout-out
Your hardworking interns deserve recognition. Make a national intern day social post and tag interns to show your appreciation! It's the perfect opportunity to highlight their work and introduce your audience to the unique charms of your valued team members.
- Presentation finale
Ask each intern to prepare a presentation about their internship experience and what it means to be an intern. This can be an opportunity to not only showcase their skills but also receive invaluable feedback from the company's leadership team to start their career on the right note.
Celebrate National Intern Day 2023 with purpose
We hope these ideas help kick-start your engagement plans. Before you go, here’s why volunteering can be a game-changer for your National Intern Day celebrations:
- Celebratory events are perfect opportunities to create synergy around purpose within the organization and its people. With more employees looking for purpose within work, these moments can drive authentic belonging and embed positive work culture.
- Volunteering is now easier than ever. With Goodera’s plug-and-play activities, all you need to do is ask. We curate activities according to your team’s size and needs, onboard vetted nonprofits in your neighborhood, and drive engagement through brand-aligned marketing. The Goodera experience includes a trained host who will engage and guide employees through the volunteering session and our team ensures the impact reaches the nonprofit, closing the loop with an impact report.
Want to bring impact to your Intern Day celebrations? Explore volunteering opportunities for employee engagement. Additionally, explore our program for impactful intern onboarding.
