As the end of the internship/placement approaches:

Consider ways to mark the end of the experience in a way that will provide the greatest benefit:

• Ask the student to present on their project/work or make recommendations
• Conduct a final review meeting to discuss their experience, skills development and suggestions for their development moving forward
• Gain feedback for improving your organisation’s internship/placement experience, or ask for general observations on your organisation
• If you usually hold an Exit Interview, complete this process with your intern/placement student
• Consider a modest celebration event, if appropriate, to mark the end of their project/role, or their impact as an individual – however you usually celebrate team milestones or departures

Consider the most appropriate way to end the internship/placement, both at an organisational and personal level:

• Keeping your student on – by extension, part-time, future vacation work, or by a deferred post-graduation role or offering future opportunities to other students
• Offering ongoing support as the student moves on, returns to their studies, or begins graduate recruitment activities, e.g. through mentoring, or even sponsorship of their remaining degree course. Today’s intern/placement student could be the experienced hire in the future!
• For placements, provide feedback to the student's academic department to support monitoring and evaluation of processes, and student and host experience. Be aware that students may feel anxious about returning to university or unsure about the transition back. Where this is the case, students can speak to their academic department or seek help from University support services
• Bringing the relationship to a final close
• Research what competitors are doing to see if you can add to or make changes to the roles
• Evaluate your recruitment methods to understand if they are bringing the most suitable candidates to the role/organisation

Keeping in touch

At the end of the internship/placement, offer as many of the following as you deem appropriate:

• traditional reference
• LinkedIn Recommendation
• ongoing business or personal mentoring
• involvement in 'keeping in touch' opportunities like Christmas parties, Pub Quiz teams, etc
• potential opportunity for graduate employment.