Most Sought After Internships by Gen Z

California; Hayward — As students are graduating, many individuals are considering taking internships after college, according to recent data. The search interest for the query “Can you do internships after graduation?” has increased by 1,850% between January 2021 and March 2023, as per data from Google search conducted by Semrush provided to CNBC Make It. 

The increase in such searches makes sense since entry-level jobs were among the hardest hit during the pandemic, and new grads may have sought out internships as a stepping stone in a sour job market, said Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at the college and new-grad career site Handshake.

The top 10 most searched for intern roles from January 2021 to March 2023, based on Semrush data, are: accountant, graphic designer, mechanical engineer, psychologist, engineer, data analyst, electrical engineer, social worker, civil engineer and nursing. Economic instability in recent years could be driving people, not just students, to consider jobs in less volatile sectors. 

Eugene Levin, president at Semrush, stated “The fact that accounting, graphic design, mechanical engineering, social work and other internships are highly-searched is not surprising, because they are important professions that require good training and experience that internships could provide.”

Meanwhile, some non-traditional roles outside the office have seen the fastest-growing search interest since the early days of the pandemic, according to Semrush data. For example, searches for internships to be a forensic science technician skyrocketed by 300% since 2021, while interest in barber openings are up by 250%. The pandemic disruptions have “encouraged professionals of all ages to consider what path they truly want to follow. Students are certainly contributing to these trends as the modern workplace evolves, in a testament to what the new generation of workers is looking for in their careers,” said Levin.

The job market's volatility has led to a rise in internships as a viable option for many recent college graduates. Economic instability in recent years could be driving people, not just students, to consider jobs in less volatile sectors, while some nontraditional roles outside the office have also seen an increase in search interest since the early days of the pandemic. The pandemic has encouraged people to consider what they genuinely want to do, which is contributing to the rise in internships and the evolution of the modern workplace.