Supply Chain Internships
Beginning with students who entered the university in the fall of 2021, all Haslam undergraduate supply chain management majors must complete an internship or equivalent experience. Students must find and apply for the internships themselves, but the Center for Career Development & Academic Exploration, Haslam career coaches, and the SCM career team can provide guidance and assistance.
Prepping for Your Internship Search
Meet with SCM career staff to strategize and prepare your resume and other application materials.
Access Handshake to schedule meetings with career staff, find jobs, and allow employers to find you based on your major, graduation date, and interests.
Create a LinkedIn account. Networking with UT Knoxville alums and interacting with business professionals can be a powerful tool to help you find the right internship or job.
Join the Tennessee Association of Supply Chain (TASC) and/or Supply Chain Automation and Robotics (SCAR). These student groups create opportunities to meet with industry leaders and get critical hands-on learning experience.
Contact Haslam’s International Programs & Study Abroad Office or visit UT’s Programs Abroad for international opportunities.
Attend recruiting events like the SCM Career Expo and the Job and Internship Fair. Find upcoming events on Handshake.
Explore additional resources from UT’s Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration, including information on internships and co-ops.
1-2
Number of Internships most SCM majors complete
Co-op
Take a semester off and get 6-8 months of work experience.
$20/hour
The median SCM major’s intern pay
Housing Assistance
Many companies offer relocation assistance, and Haslam offers scholarships to students
Summer Before Junior or Senior Year
The timing of most internship opportunities typically occur in the summer before junior or senior year
4 Steps to Fulfilling the Internship Requirement
1
Find and Receive an Offer
Internships must be meaningful and relevant to the end-to-end supply chain or general business operations. You must find and apply for the internship yourself, but Haslam offers multiple resources to help you.
2
Complete the internship approval form.
You’ll need a job description, offer letter, information on the work performed, and anticipated number of work hours. Evaluations can take up to 2 weeks. Once your internship is approved, you’ll typically be enrolled in SCM 489 for the semester after your internship.
3
Complete Internship
Learn everything you can, especially what your strengths and interests are in the supply chain work setting. Keep documentation of your performance evaluations and any final project presentations, and obtain an email from your supervisor confirming the internship’s completion.
4
Complete SCM 489
This is a 0-credit hour, no fee course that confirms what you learned in your internship. It consists of providing basic data on the internship, documentation verifying that you completed it, and a short video reflecting on the experience.
What Counts as an Internship?
This requirement is relatively broad – our goal is for all SCM students to obtain robust and relevant experience to help prepare them for their careers, and there are many ways to accomplish that.
Minimum Criteria
- 150+ hours in less than six months
- Work that is meaningful and relevant to one or more portions of the end-to-end supply chain or general business operations and helps inform a student’s potential career paths
- Regular (typically at least biweekly) contact with a supervisor who provides ongoing training and evaluates intern performance
Examples of Qualifying Experience
- Full or part-time internship or co-op
- Full or part-time supply chain management job
- Several micro-internships (relevant short-term internships or projects combined)
- International internship
Co-ops
(Cooperative Education Experiences)
Cooperative Education Experiences, or co-ops, are similar to internships, but require taking a semester off of school. The Center for Career Development & Academic Exploration provides information on co-ops. If you think your chosen experience may constitute a co-op, then view this form and complete the first two steps. The SCM internship coordinator will help you ensure your status with the university remains active during your co-op. (Co-ops still require enrolling in SCM 489 following your experience.)
International Students
Student Visas and Immigration
International students should learn more about what their immigration status will allow and may need to get the internship approval process started two weeks early to accommodate authorization processes. If you are in legal F-1 status you would apply for Curricular Practical Training using the “The opportunity is required for program completion” justification. You may also find useful information on this page, including helpful websites for identifying companies likely to petition for H-1B visas and the link to a resource called Interstride. Contact international@utk.edu for any additional questions.
Internship Spotlights
“I spent three months learning directly from top industry-leading professionals, analyzing supply chain health, and developing my skill set in programs like Excel, Power BI, Snowflake, and Business Objects. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and highly recommend pursuing an internship with the same end-to-end supply chain experience.”
Gabrielle McEwen
Supply Chain Planning Intern, Tractor Supply Company
“I could not have felt more welcomed throughout my summer with WestRock. I was able to work on meaningful, value-adding projects with teams that supported my curiosity and growth. Not only did they encourage my input and ideas, l felt like part of the team.”
Ella Uehling
Mill Procurement Operations Intern, WestRock
“My time at Philips gave me unique insights into the end-to-end processes encompassing medical systems within the healthcare industry. The experience has reinforced the importance of an integrated supply chain and lean operations, which creates the ability to maximize best-in-class practices.”
Nicholas Cunningham
Order Management Specialist Intern, Philips
“I’ve always been able to learn a lot from internships. This one was no different. I learned so many new skills, from personal relationships to querying languages. Seeing concepts from class in action is an incredible way to keep learning about the industry I’m entering. It makes these internships invaluable.”
Nicole Carvagno
Supply Network Operations Intern, Procter & Gamble
Career Outcomes
By the Numbers
$61,909
2023 average salary
$74,115
2023 average salary for Scholars of Distinction
94%
2023 undergrads secured a full-time job or began a graduate program within 6 months of graduation.