The word “Practicum” is sometimes misplaced as an internship because both have the same result; helping the student gain exposure outside the college.
Both also help students practice what they’ve learned in college and meet other students who are just like them.
Practicum Definition:
Practicum is defined as a training system for students to help them practice, in a limited way, what they have learned in college.
Here, it’s more of the documentation and observation of what is being done in the working environment; under strict supervision.
The students are strictly supervised by the professor and given assignments on what they learned during the advanced teaching hours.
How Long is Practicum Experience?
Practicum is not long compared to an internship. It’s almost the same hours you spend in a regular college time.
Is it paid or unpaid?
It is generally an unpaid program because it doesn’t require much work compared to an internship.
It’s more of understanding what the professor explained in class, so there is no much work needed in the Practicum experience.
Benefits of Practicum
- You create networks and connections with professionals in your career field of interest or even in others.
- You learn to work under strict supervision.
- There is exposure to the labor market and how it runs effectively.
Difference Between Practicum and an Internship
What are Internships?
An internship is a short-term introductory professional learning experience that offers the intern meaningful, practical work in a certain profession.
How long are Internships?
Internships, defined as short-term, can last for about a few weeks, months, or a year. It may be part-time or full-time.
Is it paid or unpaid?
Internships are both paid and unpaid, depending on the one you get. Although working as an intern in a company without payment, you can get stipends to help cater for yourself on transport and feeding.
Workflow of Internships vs Practicum:
The workflow of internships is more than practicum. As an intern, you work just like a company staff, understanding the labor market’s dos and don’ts and the pressure that comes with working under a boss.
You will understand customer service and how to talk to a client. On the other hand, companies tend to reduce interns’ workload because they don’t receive payment as much as staff in the company.
Report of Internship and Practicum:
At the end of the program, the student must submit a report of the internship, including the name of the company, location, department that the student worked in, and the things learned during the program. This is similar to a practicum, but an internship is broader.
Even before submitting the IT report, an academic advisor/counselor from the college comes to the IT venue to check up on the student and know how well the student is performing.
Also, as proof that the student is going through an internship.
Benefits of Internships over Practicum:
- A paid internship earns you a paycheck, and you could use the money for your extra spending or save it for college.
- It strengthens your college applications as it will show your commitment and dedication to learning and the valuable skills you have acquired. This will make your application different and set apart from the others.
- An internship gives you firsthand experience of real life and its challenges, exposing your strengths and weaknesses. It allows you to experience different working environments and choose your career.
A Practical Example of Internship vs Practicum:
An intern working in the medical field can evaluate a patient, take a record of the complaint laid by the patient, and report it to the doctor.
Still, in Practicum, the student is taught all these, with little practice but with more understanding of the process.
FAQs on Practicum and Internship
A student must get either a “Pass” or a “Fail” in all subsequent practicums if they have previously received a “Pass with Reservation.”
About 100 Hours
Interns are trainees who have signed on with a company for a limited time. Interns work for free in exchange for training, may get academic credit, and learn about many aspects of the host company’s business. Internships can either be paid in full, in part, or unpaid.
You’ll benefit much from gaining relevant work experience, whether you’re still in high school, college, or just starting in the field. If you want to advance your career, getting an internship is a great option, and you can find one that fits your educational background and job goals rather easily.
Conclusion
Practicum and Internships are worth the time spent on them. They help you gain massive exposure to life outside college. Also, still allows you to go back to college to learn more skills before you graduate.
Awesome one; I hope this article helped. Thanks for reading this article.
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