Industry Internships

The FFEA Education & Emerging Leaders Committee encourages its members to utilize students from Event Management Programs at Florida based Universities when producing their events. Details on each participating University are listed below.

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Career Development Program assists students and alumni by providing guidance and resources for the achievement of career goals and making connections between their academic experiences and desired career paths.

Industry Experience Requirement
Undergraduate students must complete 1,000 hours of industry related work. An additional 300 hours and 10 weeks minimum are required to fulfill the HFT 4945 – Advanced Internship course. A maximum of 500 hours of prior work experience can be applied to this requirement. The remaining amount must be completed while enrolled in the program.

Graduate students must complete 1,000 hours of hospitality related practical training work experience plus 300 hours for the Graduate Internship. A minimum of 800 hours must be completed while enrolled in the graduate program at FIU. Students with prior experience may request a waiver for all or part of this requirement.

How do I recruit an intern from FIU?

First, determine the available intern positions at your company.
Then write a great internship description that will attract students and detail the learning opportunities, type of projects assigned, and qualifications.
Create an account and post your opportunities directly to FIU students via the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management Career Link.
Evaluate student resumes on the website and conduct interviews.
Lastly, select qualified candidates to intern at your company.

The Recreation, Tourism and Events (RTE) program averages 60 students completing work towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Tourism and Events, many specializing in events. The final requirement is successful completion of an internship with an approved provider. Considered to be a full-time academic load (15 credits) for one semester, the internship requires the student to work a minimum 40 hours per week in the agency for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks during the semester (minimum 480 hours). Students are seeking a variety of internship experiences in unique settings throughout Florida and beyond.

Minor in Recreation, Tourism, and Events
The minor in Recreation, Tourism, and Events averages 75 students from various complimentary fields of study who are exploring the field of recreation, tourism and events. The minor consists of 12 hours of coursework allowing the student to tailor their learning in the recreation, tourism and events industry.

Opportunity Postings – the RTE has an internal website for posting and notification to students of internship, part- and full-time employment, and volunteer opportunities. To submit information, please contact Mrs. Donna Trafford.

Recreation, Tourism & Events Internship Policies & Procedures

UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management students are required to complete three (3) semesters of experiential learning (internships, part- and full-time positions) to graduate. They must work at least 16 hours a week and be paid in some method, either hourly or stipend. Our internships are an academic class, so they follow the college semesters.

UCF Rosen College Bachelor of Science in Event Management
We have 3,500 students at Rosen College, 1,200 of which are earning their Bachelor of Science in Event Management. These students take courses in all aspects of meeting, trade show and event planning, as well as actually participate in creating an event, some with external clients. Important aspects of their curriculum are marketing, production, fundraising, budgets and technology. We also encourage our students to join industry organizations and volunteer for meetings and events to increase their knowledge.

Opportunity Postings
Rosen College has a listserv that goes out daily advertising internship, part- and full-time jobs, and volunteer opportunities. If interested, please send your posting to Suzan.bunn@ucf.edu. Our students are mobile as the Experiential Learning class is on-line.

UF College of Health and Human Performance & E-Newsletter
The College of Health and Human Performance enrolls 1,845 students. These students receive a weekly electronic newsletter containing information about volunteer and internship opportunities. If you are interested in posting to this e-newsletter, please contact Dawn Shores at dshores@hhp.ufl.edu.

UF Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Sport Management
The Department of Tourism, Recreation, and Sport Management has 705 students enrolled and many of these students are earning a Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Events, Recreation, and Management. These students are required to complete 80 hours of volunteer work the semester prior to their internship and are also required to complete a 13-week internship, working 40 hours per week during the semester of expected graduation.

The Student Manual and Employer Requirements listed below are resources to help you determine whether or not your agency would like to be considered as an internship site. Dr. Douglas DeMichele is the Internship Coordinator for the Department. If you have any questions, please contact him at (352) 294-1660 or by e-mail at demiche@hhp.ufl.edu.

Florida Gulf Coast University offers a comprehensive Resort & Hospitality Management program. The curriculum, developed by academic and industry leaders, is uniquely focused on the essential knowledge needed to manage the complex operations of multi-million dollar resort and private club properties. Earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Resort & Hospitality Management (RHM) and open doors to highly regarded management careers in the industry. Concentrations in Event Management, Spa Management and Restaurant and Club Management are offered.

The internship and field experiences expose students to a different way of thinking and working and are an important bridge between the classroom experiences and a career in the resort and hospitality management industry. The program has relationships with over 300 of the area's finest resorts, hotels, private clubs, events, spas, food and beverage, and other industry related contacts.

Employers – Reach Resort & Hospitality Management students with internships, full- and part-time positions and volunteer opportunities by emailing Jennifer McGurk, Internship Coordinator, at jenmcgurk@fgcu.edu to be included in our free daily e-blast to current students and qualified alumni.

Industry Internship Programs