As artificial intelligence threatens to eliminate many entry-level jobs that recent graduates would traditionally fill, internships are taking on greater importance — and higher pressure — for young workers entering the U.S. labour market. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reports that more than 4 million U.S. college students complete internships annually, with employers planning to hire 4% more interns in 2026 after a sharp decline the previous year. Career advisers stress that internships now function as extended auditions, with soft skills such as teamwork, punctuality, and initiative mattering as much as technical ability. "Employers are getting workers, but they're also auditioning employees," says Michele Moyer, director of career development at Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Experts also urge interns to think entrepreneurially — broadening how they apply their skills across industries rather than waiting for a single obvious career path to open up. "It can be scary, it can be overwhelming, it can be frustrating, but how can we look at things a different way so we can maintain that momentum?" says Andrea St. James, executive director for career education at Western New England University.