According to the Deputy Director of the Confederation of Danish Industries (DI) Charlotte Rønhof, there is no doubt that a newly qualified graduate is better positioned if they already have relevant work experience when they begin looking for a job.  

"It definitely counts for something if a graduate can demonstrate that they’ve already brought their knowledge into play in the labour market," she says.  

It’s possible to get work experience in several ways, but an internship has some advantages, says Charlotte Rønhof.

"Many employers like internships because they can place the student in situations that are much more similar to normal employment when compared to having them in student jobs. It provides better opportunities for testing the student’s skills and for giving them responsibility for bigger tasks. And there are countless examples of how this method has led to employment afterwards," she says.

Translated by Peter Lambourne