Communications Internship

Alagasco provides an internship for one student during spring, summer and fall semesters. Fostered by the communications department, the internship usually consists of a 15-week program, where the student is provided with hands-on experience in the various fields of corporate journalism, photography and web technology. The intern will learn how all of these elements exist within the corporate world and will employ concepts the student learned in communication course work. This internship opportunity will also assist in providing further supervised training in agreed-upon communication areas.

Activities
The intern must be capable of working in a professional environment and be willing to learn quickly. Interns will be expected to contribute to all areas of the communications department and work independently throughout the company. Interns will write news and feature stories for an audience of 1,500 employees, write consumer-affair messages to an audience of 463,000 customers, help plan and shoot photographs for various internal and external communications projects, and research and write content for the corporate Web sites.

Responsibilities include writing stories and taking photographs for the internal newsletter, "Gaslines"; writing headlines and stories for the weekly internal electronic newsletter, "Newslink", and writing copy for the monthly bill insert, "At Home."

Qualifications
Students who are completing their junior or senior year and are majoring in mass communications, journalism or public relations are eligible to apply. Students who are taking classes and completing their internship simultaneously may apply. Candidates are evaluated on their knowledge of journalism and public relations. Students must have housing and transportation.

Location 
Energen Plaza is located in downtown Birmingham. 

Academic Credit
Alagasco will complete the necessary paperwork for interns to receive academic credit.

Application Procedures
Students who are interested in applying for an internship should submit the following information by the deadline:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• At least one recommendation letter
• Writing samples
  

Application Deadlines:
March 14 for internship during the summer semester
July 1 for internship during the fall semester
November 1 for internship during the spring semester
If one of these dates falls on a weekend, then deadline is extended to the following Monday.

Testimonials
"My internship at Alagasco gave me the perfect introduction to corporate communications.  My duties and responsibilities allowed me to fuse the public relations skills I learned in college with the realities of the professional world.  The connections I made within the Communications Department were vital to landing my first post-college job."
Mike P., Alagasco intern, 2004

"I was looking for an internship that would not only prepare me for the real world but also give me an edge over other graduates. The Communications Department at Alagasco did just that. Not only did I leave with an impressive portfolio, but the knowledge and experience I gained put me a step ahead of others. I excel at my current job because of the diverse leadership and involvement that I encountered during my time at Alagasco."
Hollie F., Alagasco intern, 2003 

"The experience I gained during my internship was invaluable when I took my first job at a public relations agency. The Alagasco Corporate Communication team allowed me to apply what I learned in school and to work hands-on with a variety of internal and external communication tools. This equipped me with excellent experience and an impressive professional portfolio that put me a step ahead when seeking full time employment."
Brittiny B., Alagasco intern, 2000