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A Toolkit from The Smarty Train

Internships: Building for the Future

Is your internship programme ready to develop your future pipeline?

Bringing interns together, helping them enter the workplace, and ensuring they flourish is not without its challenges: 2025 has brought with it economic uncertainty, AI anxiety, and changing expectations of those entering the world of work from employers.

Internship programmes today are charged with building workplace skills, fostering community and longevity, and – crucially – converting interns into future applicants at a time where competition for talent is fiercer than ever.

Our 2025 Internships Toolkit explores how to reimagine your internship experience to best fill the needs of both your organisation and your future talent.

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What to expect:

Reimagine your approach to internships

Actionable methods for high-impact internship design, including accelerating speed-to-value for early talent, designing immersive learning experiences, and embedding longevity and retention in your programme planning.

How to Initiate Change

Tried-and-tested internship solutions that boost retention rates and help interns flourish, including soft skill development, self-led learning, and fostering wellbeing. 

Accelerated internships in practice

Supporting case studies from our internship partnerships with pioneering global brands, including lululemon.

More insights

Highlights from HIVE 2025

Our third annual HIVE gathering set out to answer one question: In a world in flux, how do you set an Early Careers strategy with certainty? Read the highlights now.

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5 Key Skills You Should Be Giving Your Interns in 2025

The skills that interns need to thrive today are drastically different to those from 10 years ago. Read 5 fundamental and future-facing skills every early talent function should be developing in their interns.

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Why Your Interns Need Psychological Safety

Young people today are entering the workforce at a time of change, instability and uncertainty. Read how psychological safety can help prepare your interns (and future workforce) for the world of work

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How to Tell If Your Internship Needs an Update

Avoid having your internship programme branded as “cheugy” by providing an engaging, up-to-date, and tailored experience that meets the unique needs of today's Gen Z interns

Read more
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