Idaho National Laboratory’s internship program has been recognized as one of the five best energy internship programs in the nation by Vault Magazine. The ranking is based off student intern feedback provided directly to Vault. Vault surveyed nearly 14,000 current and former interns from more than 130 internship programs asking respondents to rate and review their own internship experiences for the 2020 Best Internships Rankings.
Respondents were asked to rate their internship experiences on a scale of 1 to 10 in six core areas:
- Quality of Life (office culture, hours, work-life balance, flexibility)
- Compensation & Benefits (pay structure, subsidized expenses, office space, perks)
- Interview Process (application process, requirements, number of interviews)
- Career Development (including four separate ratings for training and mentoring, quality of assignments, real-life experience, networking opportunities)
- Full-time Employment Prospects (opportunity to obtain a full-time job with this organization)
- Diversity (including four separate ratings for diversity with respect to women, minorities, LGBT individuals, and other underrepresented groups)
The Best Energy Internships reflect the highest-rated internships among energy companies.
Each year, INL hires hundreds of students from universities around the country and the world to work under the guidance of skilled and talented mentors. These internships enable students to collaborate with experienced scientists and engineers in order to develop innovative solutions to challenging, real-world projects.
INL encourages interns to spend 80% of their time at the lab with their mentor and apply their classroom knowledge to real-life work, and to spend 20% of their time in enrichment activities like workshops or skill-building activities.
“Our University Partnerships team works closely with organizations throughout the Laboratory to assure interns get a rewarding experience. This national ranking shows that our efforts at creating the best experience for students are paying off,” said Dr. Mark Peters, INL director.
About Vault
Vault is best known for its influential rankings, ratings, and reviews on thousands of top employers and hundreds of internship programs. Vault’s rankings and ratings are regularly featured and cited by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes, Fortune, Money, and countless other news outlets. Since 1996, Vault has been providing in-depth intelligence on what it’s really like to work within an industry, company, or profession.
