#NationalInternDay is an annual holiday started by WayUp in 2017 dedicated to celebrating the future of the workforce: interns! Taking place on the last Thursday of July (this year it’s July 28th, 2022), the holiday gives companies a chance to recognize all the great work their interns have done during the year. Alongside the holiday, WayUp releases two highly anticipated Top 100 lists. First, is the Top 100 Internship Programs list. This list is an opportunity for employers to showcase their internship programs and all the work their team puts into creating an engaging and valuable environment. Second is the Top 100 Interns list highlighting early-career individuals who go above and beyond in their roles. WayUp also recognizes one company each year as having the top internship program in the country! Past National Intern Day top program winners include Under Armor, Citi, and Lumen, who was the winner in 2021. Six years after its inception National Intern Day receives thousands of nominations, trends in the top three on Twitter, is celebrated by awesome organizations like NASA and The Today Show, and is featured in Forbes every year, when they publish the Top 100 Programs list.
In April, WayUp hosted a National Intern Day kickoff webinar with program managers from past National Intern Day participants like GE and Lumen. We discussed what makes an internship program great and their experiences celebrating National Intern Day along with tips for getting on the Top 100 Programs list. Check out the recording for tons of great ideas on how to improve your internship program whether it's virtual, hybrid, or in-person.
The Top 100 Internship Programs List is determined in two ways. Thirty percent of the decision is based on public voting, which is why it is important to get your nomination in as early as possible to give your network time to vote for your amazing program! Nominations opened in early April and can be submitted until 11:59 PM PST on July 28th for 2022. Next is the judging panel which is weighted at 70%, so that smaller companies with smaller networks have a chance to make the list. The panel changes every year and is made up of industry leaders outside of WayUp and all nominations are submitted to them anonymously. The hosts from our National Intern Day webinar suggest making it clear in your nomination what separates your program from the rest and highlighting the growth and experiences your interns enjoy that benefit them even after the program ends.
Check out the National Intern Day FAQs to learn more about how the list is chosen.
There are tons of great ways to celebrate your interns without breaking the bank. Our webinar panelists from Lumen and GE had so many good suggestions no matter if you are virtual or in-person:
To be eligible for the Top 100 Internship Program List, you must have at least one intern or co-op member in the U.S in 2022. Then all you have to do is have someone from your organization nominate your program! This could be an internship program manager, or even the interns themselves. If your program is based outside of the U.S, while you are not eligible for the Top 100 list, we still encourage you to celebrate your interns with us on the holiday and share on social media!
Nominating your program to the National Intern Day Top 100 List shows your network that you are committed to the development of early-career individuals and DEI initiatives. Making it on the list means your company will be highlighted by WayUp and Forbes as an organization that excels in both of these areas and more! An added benefit of this recognition is that it can help you build your talent pipeline in future seasons.
