Remote work is not something new. It actually started before the internet was born but it only became popular as we know it today at the beginning of the 21st century. Technology, internet speed, social media, software, and other platforms have allowed remote work to evolve. Similarly, the concept of virtual internships is not new. Companies and interns have been testing and engaging in virtual internship options for a while but always on a small scale.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the spread of remote work and internships. Many businesses are encouraging their employees to stay home and are transitioning their internships into virtual programs.

A recent study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) showed that only 30% of businesses are proceeding with on-site internships and that there is a steady trend toward virtual internships with 36% of businesses transferring to virtual internships in 2020.

In response to the COVID – 19 global pandemic Australian Internships, a leading global internship program provider, launched their Virtual Internship Program in early 2020.

While this is new for many, there are reasons to believe virtual internships are here to stay:

“Virtual Internships provide connection regardless of location. They reduce the resource requirement for companies and extend the workspace beyond the borders of the city and country where traditionally employers would recruit from. This opportunity has demonstrated that without doubt people have the ability to work remotely, and in many cases be more productive and effective remotely. With a tendency for remote work to increase in the future, a critical step moving forward is for young professionals to learn how to work and succeed in a virtual environment. Virtual Internships provide them with this opportunity!” says Diana van Woerkom, Managing Director at Australian Internships.

Gaining international work experience, while valuable, can be expensive and not an option for everyone. From a student or recent graduate’s perspective, going virtual will make internships abroad more accessible as visas, accommodation, flights and international living expenses are no longer necessary. Candidates will be able to more easily handle personal and study commitments combined with a virtual internship.

Internships going virtual also means that businesses will be able to access a much bigger pool of candidates as physical limitations will no longer be a barrier. According to a recent study conducted by Airtasker, remote workers are more productive than their office-based counterparts. Meaning a double win for businesses - intern recruitment becomes easier and productivity greater.

But we can’t ignore there are lessons to be learned. As with any major change, companies and interns will need to quickly adapt, be open and resilient. So how can businesses ensure that they are able to keep up with the ever-growing trend? Australian Internships says “Virtual Internships need to be closely monitored and fully structured to benefit both intern and host organisation. We allocate all interns a dedicated Internship Program Supervisor from our team, a host organisation supervisor and run weekly career related webinars to ensure that the interns gain the greatest benefit possible”.

In these extraordinary times, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the way we work and communicate and has forced us to think outside the box and adapt the way we work. Innovative approaches, such as virtual internships, are becoming increasingly popular methods for interns and companies to reap the many rewards of internships, while working around physical constraints.

The virtual work phenomenon is here to stay, and it's only going to involve more people over time. To be successful, companies and interns need to adapt and jump onboard with virtual internships to have a competitive advantage in a post pandemic world.