Internship program
Appoint a supervisor for the student. It is important for consistency and cohesiveness for the student to report to and take orders primarily from one individual. The supervisor should be the superintendent or the second in command. Students appreciate the opportunity to have good lines of communication between themselves and the upper-level management. It allows them to learn more and makes them feel like they are part of the team.
If the supervisor is someone other than the superintendent, he or she should be someone who understands the organization’s goals and the role of the intern. The role of the supervisor is to function as a manager, a trainer and a mentor.
Employer/Supervisor Responsibilities
1. Provide a challenging position, which will enable the student to use the skills, aptitude and knowledge that have been gained in an academic setting.
2. Orient the student regarding your company’s organizational culture, expectations, policies and work procedures. The student should also be oriented in safety instruction on their first day of work or before they are sent into the field.
3. Help the student develop learning objectives based on their academic requirements, if these are not provided by the educational institution. Sign and date the objectives.
4. Continually supervise the student on the tasks outlined in the learning objectives.
5. Discuss with the student the method of performance evaluation that will be used. The performance appraisal should be obtained from the student’s educational institution or developed by both the supervisor and the student. It should also reflect the learning objectives.
6. Give the student honest feedback and constructive criticism about his/her job performance. Make every effort to meet with the student at least once a week to review progress.
7. Fill out the final evaluation, give a copy to the student and mail one to the educational institution, if required. Do not give it to the student to mail.
What should interns learn?
The goal of a well-developed internship is to expose each intern to virtually every aspect of golf course management. The suggested checklist below provides a comprehensive list of tasks that would benefit students during their internships. As the intern masters each task, he or she can progress to more challenging responsibilities.
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