Spotlight for Career Services Professionals, April 25, 2012 

Not only are employers expecting to increase internship hires by 8.5 percent over last year, but they’re also reporting record-breaking conversion rates, according to results of NACE’s 2012 Internship & Co-op Survey. 

Survey respondents converted 58.6 percent of their Class of 2011 interns into full-time hires, an all-time high since NACE began reporting conversion rates in the early 2000s. The previous record of 57.7 percent was reported by NACE in its 2011 Internship & Co-op Survey.  

The drivers of the record conversion rate were lower offer rates coupled with a stable acceptance rate. Employers extended offers to 61.2 percent of their Class of 2011 interns, compared to 66.7 percent of their Class of 2010 interns, but both classes accepted at the same rate—86.5 percent.  

Additional highlights from the survey are available in the executive summary. For details about the full survey report, see www.naceweb.org/research/intern-co-op/2012-survey/. (Also available: 2012 Guide to Compensation for Interns & Co-ops.)  

The 2012 Internship & Co-op Survey was conducted November 11, 2011, through January 13, 2012; 280 organizations holding NACE membership, representing more than 20 industries, took part, for a 29.4 percent response rate.