Student internship: 10 important questions and answers

1. What is the purpose of a student internship?

The schools want to enable their students to gain practical work experience and to gain an impression of the world of work through a student internship. The practical work in a company should help the students in their career choice, because they can look at an area that interests them. In this way, they can find out whether the job corresponds to their expectations in practice. Your child learns to write an application, to organize a place independently and to complete tasks independently. There might even be an opportunity to make contacts and later get an apprenticeship in the company.

2. When can your child do a school internship?

As a rule, students do one or two internships during their school years. In the Hauptschule and Realschule, two internships in the ninth and tenth grades are usually mandatory. At grammar schools there is often only one student internship in the ninth grade, but sometimes a second one in the eleventh grade. Your child can also voluntarily apply for a student internship in a company of their choice during the holidays. It is only important that your child is at least 14 years old, because otherwise it is not allowed to work according to the Youth Employment Protection Act.

3. Where can your child do a school internship?

In principle, your child can apply wherever they would like, for example in the car repair shop, in the shoe shop, in the kindergarten or at the veterinarian. It should only be clarified in advance whether the company accepts student interns at all. However, the Youth Protection Act regulates that minors are not allowed to carry out all work. Your child should keep these restrictions in mind when choosing a place for their student internship.

4. What work is your child allowed to do during the school internship?

Your underage child may not do any tasks with an increased accident or health risk during the student internship. For example, it is not allowed to employ young people under the age of 16 in underground mining. Piece work, which involves working under great time pressure, is also prohibited for young people. In general, your child should only work under expert guidance and supervision and should only be given tasks that they can handle mentally and physically. It should not replace a regular worker and also not just take on unskilled work, such as sweeping or making coffee. Ideally, your child can watch, gets a lot explained and can also try something out.

5. How can your child apply for a student internship?

Normally, your child is responsible for finding and applying for a student internship. In rare cases, the school takes over the organization and placement of internships. Your child should ask the company where they want to do the student internship how to apply. With some companies, a personal interview is sufficient, but in most cases a written application is required. The application for a student internship includes a cover sheet, an application photo, a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, the last certificate and any certificates of previous internships or other qualifications.

6. What are the working hours for student internships?

A student internship usually lasts two to four weeks. The internship office will inform your child of the exact working hours. Your child does not usually have to work on the weekends and may only work between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. There are various exemptions for certain professional fields, for example in the healthcare sector or gastronomy. These working hours are required by law for minors:

• Young people under 15 years: maximum 7 hours a day and 35 hours a week
• Young people over 15 years: maximum 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week

Your child has the right to appropriate rest periods and breaks during a longer working day. For example, your child may not work longer than 4.5 hours at a time; then at the latest he is entitled to a break. Each break must be at least 15 minutes long to allow your child to recover adequately. After work, your child must rest for 12 hours before it can start the next work assignment. Your child is entitled to these break times spread over the working day:

• For 4.5 to 6 hours of work: a total of 30 minutes break
• If you work more than 6 hours: a total of 60 minutes break

7. Is your child insured during the school internship?

Although your child is outside of school, it is insured during the student internship in the event of accidents at the internship site and on the way to work through the school. However, it is recommended that you take out liability insurance in case your child causes damage at work.

8. What should your child clarify with the internship agency?

Your child should discuss a few things with the internship agency before the student internship begins. What tasks will your child take on? What can they possibly learn in the student internship? Can it get to know several departments of the company? Who is your child’s personal contact? In this way, it can be clarified in advance whether the internship roughly corresponds to the wishes and ideas of your child.

9. What is expected of your child during the school internship?

In order not to attract unpleasant attention in the company during the student internship, your child should come to work on time and appropriately dressed. Of course, they have to choose different clothes for a student internship in a bank than for one in road construction. Your child should take the internship seriously, do the work as conscientiously as possible, and show an interest in learning something new. In addition, your child is obliged to protect company secrets and to comply with existing safety regulations.

10. Who is responsible for problems during the student internship?

If problems arise with the operation during the student internship, your child can contact his/her mentoring teacher. Each student is assigned a teacher who is available as a contact person during the student internship. This teacher also visits the student at his workplace at least once and corrects the internship report at the end of the student internship.