Auburn Supply Chain Internship Outline for Employers

2022 – 2023 Academic Year

How to become an internship partner with Auburn University’s Supply Chain Management major:

1. Employers must create a Handshake account and connect with Auburn University. This allows employers to promote their opportunities to students as well as set up candidate application and interview processes. Create a Handshake account here:  auburn.edu/handshake
2.  Send job descriptions for supply chain internship roles for pre-approval to joshlyn@auburn.edu for review.

Each internship role must meet the criteria for earning academic credit:

• An intern's primary work activities must relate to the curriculum taught in Auburn University’s Supply Chain Management major.
• Internships must provide students with the ability to apply classroom knowledge in a professional work setting.
• Roles must engage students in the development of highly desirable professional supply chain skills.
• Employers must provide students with opportunities to contribute to the organization in a meaningful and measurable way.
• The intern must be supported by an on-site supervisor who will oversee the intern’s professional progress and participate in a final evaluation in conjunction with the intern’s faculty supervisor.

Approvable SCMN internships should relate to one or more of these curricular areas:

• Software Implementation
• Quality, Safety, Compliance
• Inventory Control
• Research/Analysis
• Optimization/Logistics
• Sourcing/Procurement
• Warehousing/Distribution
• Customer Service
• Forecasting/Materials Planning
• Operations Management
• Process Improvement
• Customs/Trade/Global Planning
• Intermodal / Carrier Operations
• Transportation Planning
• Analytic Process/Measures

Internships should include project-related supply chain work activities such as:

• Performing software applications and analysis to plan, direct, or improve operations or services.
• Planning, directing, or coordinating the movement, storage, distribution, or processing of inventory.
• Planning, directing, or coordinating transportation operations or service.
• Forecasting production, procurement, or making financial decisions related to supply chain.
• Examining procedures or opportunities for streamlining activities to meet organizational needs.
• Analyzing product delivery or supply chain processes to identify or recommend changes.
• Managing route activity including invoicing, electronic bills, and shipment tracing.
• Managing personnel, systems, and/or directing daily operations within the supply chain.

3.) Internships that are NOT APPROVABLE FOR ACADEMIC CREDIT: Performing work that is not deemed educational in nature, is not related to the major, replaces hourly employees, is job shadowing, is repetitive or is clerical versus professional level work experience.  > NOTE:  Sales-based experiences are not approvable in the SCMN curriculum, as the coursework (and therefore credit) is offered in the Marketing Department.

4.) WAGES/HOUSING/OTHER SUPPORT

• In 2022, AU SCM interns earned on average $18/hour (range of $14 - $28/hour).  
• Most AU students are locked into one-year leases without the option to sub-let.
• To attract top candidates, employers should consider assisting students with the costs related to housing and re-location expenses during an internship.
• Examples we have seen employers offer for housing assistance: corporate housing, monthly housing subsidy in addition to base hourly pay, one-time re-location/housing bonus, assistance with finding roommates, location guides to help assist in narrowing down safe and popular areas to live

5.) The employer sets up a selection process such as an online application and on campus interviews. Please be mindful of the deadlines the students have for submitting documentation for internships and receiving credit.

Offers should be presented to selected interns prior to the following registration dates:

• Fall 2022 Internship (typically from August to December) offers should be made by or before June 30^th, 2022
• Spring 2023 Internship (typically August to December) offers should be made by or before October 31^st, 2022
• Summer 2023 Internship (typically from May to August) offers should be made by or before March 25^th, 2023

6.) Employers determine the term & time frame that suits their environment. Internships can be performed during any academic term: Fall (typically August to December); Spring (typically January to May); Summer (typically May to August).

One term internship (3 academic credits/SCMN 3920)

• A minimum of 10 weeks in the summer term.
• A minimum of 12 weeks in the spring or fall terms.
• Interns must earn a minimum of 300 hours of on-site work with one employer during any one
• Interns may work 30 or more hours per week.

6-month internship - over two consecutive terms (6 credits/SCMN 3920)

• Summer and fall terms (July to December) – typically 22 - 25 weeks.
• Spring and summer terms (January to June) – typically 22 - 25 weeks.
• Interns must earn a minimum of 600 hours on-site with one employer over two consecutive terms.
• Interns may work 30 or more hours per week.

Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program (6 credits/SCMN 3920)

• Co-op requires a three-term commitment working with one employer over alternates terms.
• Students may earn credit for two of the three terms (see outline for one term internships above).
• CONTACT: Edie Irvin, Cooperative Education and Internship Coordinator, Email: irvin@auburn.edu Phone: 334.844.5410 

Contact us if you have questions or concerns :      

Alex Ritenbaugh, Supply Chain Management Program Champion

Joshlyn Bess, Professional Experience and Internship Coordinator

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