In 2023, 4.6 million students who wanted internships couldn’t get one. That’s nearly half of all students who sought these valuable opportunities to gain real-world experience and kickstart their careers.
This statistic isn’t just a number—it’s a pressing challenge that educators like you are facing when you are tasked with getting your students ready for the real world. Internships have always been a crucial part of doing this. But the reality is, the demand for internships is outpacing the supply. With operational challenges, financial limitations, and inequities preventing many students from landing internships, how can educators provide their students with the experience they need to succeed?
In this article, we aim to provide a practical solution to help you overcome this challenge and ensure your students gain essential real-world business experience.
The Internship Gap: Why It’s Getting Worse
The gap between the number of internships available and the number of students who need them is growing. Here are the main reasons why:
1. Employers Are Facing Operational Hurdles
A recent report by the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) found that 48% of employers face operational challenges when it comes to offering internships. From recruiting and supervising interns to finding meaningful work for them, many businesses struggle to provide the resources needed to make internships successful. On top of that, economic uncertainty has made some companies hesitant to take on interns at all.
2. Access to Internships Is Unequal
Internships are often secured through informal channels—connections, recommendations, and personal networks. This creates an unequal playing field, where students from lower-income or underrepresented backgrounds, or those without industry connections, find it harder to access opportunities. This deepens the equity gap and leaves many students without the career-building experience they need.
3. Not Enough Internships for All Students
Even when employers are willing to provide internships, the numbers just don’t add up. With 4.6 million students left without internships last year in the US alone, it’s clear that traditional internship models can’t keep up with demand. Simply put, there aren’t enough spots to go around.
The Solution: Business Simulations
StratX's Business simulations provide a powerful solution to the internship crisis. They offer a way to give students the real-world experience they need to succeed—without the limitations of traditional internships.
Accessible to Every Student
Business simulations are virtual and can be delivered to entire classes, regardless of their location or background. Whether students are in a major city or a remote area, simulations break down the geographical, financial, and logistical barriers that make internships out of reach for many.
Focused on Real-World Skills
Simulations replicate real-world business challenges, such as managing a product launch or navigating sustainability decisions. Students develop critical skills like problem-solving, decision-making, and teamwork—exactly what employers are looking for in new hires.
Seamless Integration into Courses
Simulations don’t require extra staff or complex coordination like internships do. They integrate smoothly into existing curriculum and are easy to implement. This makes them a scalable solution that provides structured, hands-on learning for students without adding strain to your workload.
Equity for All
Simulations provide equal access to all students, ensuring that everyone receives the same high-quality learning experience, regardless of their background or personal network. This helps level the playing field and gives every student the opportunity to gain the skills they need to succeed in the job market.
Why Business Simulations Are the Future of Experiential Learning
Internships have been the traditional route to gaining real-world experience, but as the internship crisis continues, business simulations are becoming an essential tool for educators. Here’s why:
1. Scalability
Simulations can be delivered to entire cohorts of students, making them far more scalable than internships. One simulation can serve hundreds—or even thousands—of students at once.
2. Consistency
Every student receives the same structured, high-quality experience, ensuring that all students gain the same critical skills, regardless of where they’re located or what internship opportunities they can access.
3. Preparing Students for the Future
Simulations are designed to reflect the fast-paced, ever-changing business environment. They prepare students to navigate the complex challenges they’ll face in their careers, giving them the tools to succeed in today’s workforce.
A New Path for Educators
As an educator, you play a crucial role in preparing your students for their futures. The internship shortage is a major challenge, but with the right tools, you can help ensure that all students gain the hands-on experience they need to thrive.
At StratX Simulations, we’ve helped institutions around the world integrate business simulations into their programs, providing students with the skills and experience they need to succeed. From marketing to sustainability, our simulations offer a wide range of real-world challenges that prepare students for the workforce.
Schedule a demo to see how StratX Simulations can help transform your students’ learning experience and prepare them for the real world.
