Indian students studying in the United States are encountering significant hurdles in securing internships this summer, amidst a notable deceleration in job growth across the country. Internships have become increasingly vital for acquiring hands-on experience before entering the fiercely competitive job market. However, many students, even those hailing from esteemed Ivy League institutions, are grappling with the challenge of securing internship offers, as various sources have pointed out.
The global economic slowdown has resulted in a decline in entry-level job opportunities, a fact corroborated by several students, education consultants, and Indian-American professionals in the US. Compounding this issue is the preference of companies to hire local students, particularly accentuated during an election year. Moreover, factors such as high inflation, escalating living costs, local unemployment rates, and sponsorship complexities have further complicated the landscape for Indian students graduating in the US this year.
Adarsh Khandelwal, co-founder of Collegify, an education consulting company, shed light on the severity of the situation. He noted that despite the academic excellence and social prestige associated with Ivy League universities like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Pennsylvania, a significant number of Indian undergraduate students, including those from other reputable institutions such as NYU Stern, UC Berkeley, Brown University, and the University of Texas at Austin, are struggling to secure internships. Khandelwal revealed that around 400 final-year undergraduate students across the East and West Coasts, including Ivy League attendees, have failed to secure internship offers this summer.
One poignant example he shared was that of a 22-year-old final-year undergraduate student at Harvard University, majoring in economics and psychology, who despite applying to numerous companies over the past six months, has yet to secure a summer internship. This anecdote underscores the pervasive nature of the challenge.
Even students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, who were previously in high demand, are now confronting difficulties. Companies within the technology, consulting, and new-age industries are either implementing layoffs or imposing hiring freezes. Khandelwal pointed out that traditional coding skills are no longer in high demand unless they incorporate elements of artificial intelligence (AI) or emerging technologies.
Despite American colleges maintaining their allure for foreign students, including those from India, the number of Indian students studying in the US has reached an all-time high. However, the current internship dilemma highlights the formidable obstacles faced by these students in their pursuit of practical experience and career opportunities in the US job market.
