Internships as a personnel incubator: a systematic approach to combating the shortage of specialists

The shortage of personnel remains one of the main problems of the labor market. According to the Institute for the Development of Entrepreneurship and Economics, more than 90% of companies have a shortage of employees. At the same time, attracting expensive "ready-made" specialists is often too much for a business, and the volume of routine tasks does not decrease.

Experts agree that the way out of this situation may be the transformation of internships from a temporary measure into a full-fledged "incubator" of loyal staff.

Attracting students and young professionals allows businesses to solve two tasks simultaneously: to meet operational needs more flexibly and to train staff for themselves "to grow." Through the mentoring system and the gradual complication of tasks, the company receives adapted employees who are already familiar with the corporate culture and internal processes.

Experienced specialists are always appreciated, but they can't come out of nowhere. The fight against staff shortages can begin from the moment future professionals study at universities. Gaining experience in parallel with studying opens up opportunities for rapid career growth. This affects not only the life of a particular person, but also the economy of the country as a whole," said Ilya Cech, founder of the Frontiers of Science Guild.

In order for the internship to benefit both sides, it is important to approach its organization systematically.:

1. Purpose and workload. It is necessary to clearly separate: the company is looking for "hands" for routine or preparing a future employee. The program should be designed so that the intern (especially if he studied) does not have overloads.
2. Mentoring. Without a mentor, the internship loses its meaning. A person needs feedback and help in finding tasks.
3. Motivation. Even a minimum wage, flexible schedule, or the possibility of remote work significantly increase the interest of talented candidates.

Traditional platforms (HeadHunter, social networks) remain in the arsenal of employers, but specialized tools are needed to attract excellent students who did not initially plan to train .

Experts pay attention to the Campus application, which is integrated into the educational process of more than 150 universities and covers about 1.3 million active students. In the "Vacancies" section, employers get access to the target audience with the possibility of targeting by city, educational institution and training area.

Brand promotion among young people is now becoming a complex task. For the audience 18-24 years old needs not only to come up with interesting engaging mechanics, but also to select suitable channels. The key task is to be different from others, using new emerging platforms," said Yulia Egorova, CMO of Campus.

Employer reputation management plays a key role. Experts recommend using storytelling: to talk about the success of interns through the media, at events and in their own digital channels. This builds trust and increases interest in the program.