Internship Information for Employers

Partner with CNM to Host or Hire an Intern

Contact Us

Questions? Email internships@cnm.edu

Call 505-224-3077

For information about additional business services, email employersupport@cnm.edu or visit Employer Support

An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent. This definition is set by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

There are many different types of internships, and they can be paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, and be credit-bearing or not-for-academic-credit opportunities. To ensure that a work experience course (internship) is educational and considered a legitimate internship, the criteria must be met as defined by NACE.

For paid versus unpaid internships, information is available in the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division’s Fact Sheet #71 Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act.

Internships 101 for Employers

Employers help interns:

  • Learn skills required in a field
  • Gain knowledge of core activities within a role or field
  • Learn how businesses operate and measure success
  • Discover career paths

Interns help employers by:

  • Adding new perspectives to the workplace
  • Contributing to long-term workforce development
  • Offering staff members the chance to mentor and teach
  • Helping employers reflect on and improve their workplace culture

An employer’s role in the internship is to:

  • Provide a work-based learning experience
  • Provide supervision, feedback, and mentorship for the intern
  • Ensure the safety of the intern
  • Communicate with CNM if you have any needs for support or questions
  • Ensure the mid-term and final evaluations are completed (especially for academic credit internships)

CNM’s role in the internship is to:

  • Work with the employer, student, and faculty (when applicable) to maximize internship opportunities including paid internships and internships for academic credit to the greatest extent possible
  • Ensure that all required documentation is complete for academic credit bearing internships
  • Connect employers to grants, funding options, and external partners that support paid internship opportunities
  • Recruit students/learners and graduates/completers
  • Serve as a resource for the employer throughout the internship
  • Serve as the formal employer for work-study internships to include paying the intern

The employer decides:

  • Compensation level (if serving as host and employer of record)
  • Role and duties
  • If an academic credit-bearing internship is feasible
  • Assignment of supervisor
  • Assignment of mentor (highly recommended)
What is an academic credit internship & what are learning objectives/outcomes

There are many different types of internships, and internships can be paid or unpaid, and be not-for-credit or credit-bearing opportunities. Internships can potentially be part of an academic credit-bearing course that is performed at an industry location and meets pre-determined learning objectives with a focus on providing practical work experience, while developing professional skills such as communication, problem-solving, and/or team-oriented work.

Learning outcomes/objectives describe the skills, knowledge, and abilities individual students should possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence of learning experiences. Learning outcomes are available at the “Program of Study” level in the Learning Outcomes Catalog and are also listed in the HireCNM system as a part of the student’s internship placement. Learning outcomes/objectives are agreed upon by the student, employer, faculty, and administration prior to the internship placement being finalized.

If a student is interested in receiving academic credit for their internship, they can contact their academic school at CNM or they can email internships@cnm.edu and an internship coordinator can help connect them to their school for internship course information. Credit-bearing internships can potentially be electives or required as part of their program.

How to Get Started

If you would like the assistance of an internship coordinator to get started or have not hosted an intern before, complete the Employer Internship Interest Form, and you will be contacted within two business days by one of our staff with the next steps.

If you have an internship description ready to post, create or access your account in HireCNM. Our staff will review the internship posting, and you will be contacted within two business days.

HireCNM is CNM’s collegewide job system that includes an internship hub connecting employers, students, and faculty in a centralized online location to streamline the process for all stakeholders.