Intern Survey

Overview

This annual survey summarises the views and experiences of around 2,000 students who have participated in a work experience placement between March and the following February. The survey collects data from these interns on a range of attitudes and opinions towards their employer and about their experiences on their internship program.

An intern is broadly defined as someone pursuing a course of study who has been engaged by an employer in a formal work experience program either in person or remotely over the set time period, practically applying and developing skills learned through their study. Such programs go by a variety of names including vacation work, clerkship, internship, practicum, industry placement and work integrated learning. We use ‘internship’ to describe all of these types of programs and ‘intern’ to describe all participants.

Why is it useful?

Employers use the survey results to understand the experiences of interns during their internship program and their views on 'expectations versus reality'.

When does it happen?

Data collection for the Intern Survey takes place in January, February and March each year. Participation is free. A summary report is released in May/June. We invite every employer on our database to participate.

Top Intern Programs

The responses collected from the Intern Survey are also used to create the AAGE's annual list of the Top Intern Programs in Australia: www.topinternprograms.com.au

2024 Intern Survey

The 2024 Intern Survey collected responses from over 2,400 interns who were part of an internship program at one of 147 different employers. 

Participating employers included:

Accenture Australia, Adobe, AECOM, Airbus, Allens, Alstom Transport Australia, Amazon, AngloGold Ashanti, ANZ, APA Group, Arcadis, Arnold Bloch Leibler, Arup, ASC, Ashurst, Atlassian, Aurecon, Australian Securities & Investments Commission, Australian Taxation Office, AustralianSuper, Babcock, BAE Systems Australia, Bank of Queensland Group, Barry Nilsson, BDO, Beach Energy, Beca, BHP, Boeing Australia, BP Australia, Brisbane City Council, Bush Heritage Australia, Canva, carsales.com, Chevron Australia, City of Swan, Clayton Utz, Clough, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, CSL, Deloitte, Department of Defence, Department of Education (VIC), Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, Department of Transport and Main Roads (Qld), Department of Treasury (WA), Dexus, DLA Piper, Downer Group, DT Infrastructure, E&P Financial Group, Early Start Australia, Energy Queensland, Enerven, EY, Fivecast, Fortescue Metals Group, FTI Consulting, Gallagher Bassett, Georgiou, GHD, Gilbert + Tobin, Glencore Australia, Grant Thornton, Hall & Wilcox, Hatch, HeliMods, Herbert Smith Freehills, HUB24, HWL Ebsorth Lawyers, Hydro Tasmania, IAG, Iluka Resources, IMC Trading, Incitec Pivot, Jacobs, Johnson Winter Slattery, Kearney, King & Wood Mallesons, KordaMentha, KPMG, Laing O'Rourke, Leidos, Lendlease, Linfox, Lockheed Martin, L'Oreal, Macquarie Group Services, Maddocks, Main Roads WA, Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, McGrathNicol, MinterEllison, Monadelphous, Monash Centre of Financial Studies, Mott MacDonald, NAB, Nestle Australia, Newmont, Norton Rose Fulbright, Nova Systems, Optiver, Optus, Pitcher Partners, Powercor, Public Transport Authority of WA, PwC, RAA, Reece Group, Reserve Bank of Australia, ResMed, Rheinmetall Defence Australia, Rio Tinto, RSM Australia, SA Power Networks, Saab Australia, Sanofi, Santos, SAP, SIG, Stantec, Suncorp, SW Accountants & Advisors, Synergy, Tasmanian Networks, TasWater, The Australian National University, The University of Adelaide, The University of Melbourne, The University of Western Australia, Thiess, Thoughtworks Australia, Transgrid, Transport for NSW, Unilever, Victorian Auditor-General's Office, Water Corporation, Western Power, Westpac Group, WEX, White & Case, William Buck, Wood, Worley, WSP, Xero.

The 2024 Intern Survey summary report is now available for purchase (soft copy). Please click here to place your order.

The survey provides the latest information on:

• Reasons behind internship search and an assessment of the channels used and valued
• Insight into the decision-making process behind internship selection as well as internship to graduate conversion
• Ratings of internships across organisational experience, interaction with colleagues and professional development opportunities.

For organisations wishing to purchase a copy of the survey (soft copy), the price structure is as follows:

• AAGE Participating Member: FREE (member participants have been automatically sent a copy of the report)
• AAGE Member: $300 + GST
• AAGE Member (Not-For-Profit): $200 + GST
• Standard (Non-Member) Survey Participant Rate: $600 + GST
• Standard Rate (Non-Member): $500 + GST

Please contact surveys@aage.com.au to clarify your organisation's participation or with any queries.