Here's how you can leverage GIS internships for a successful career transition.

I would say the key to look for internships that will allow you to work on/with new exciting libraries in the GIS space that will likely be in high demand in the future. Off the top of my head, I would start with some exciting open source libraries such as deckGL, MapLibre, GIS severless type functions and workloads. This really helps you differentiate yourself from other more generic GIS folk.

Practice is important with GIS, and getting this type of experience can be very helpful in both using GIS skills and gaining experience in the workforce. GIS internships can prepare you for some of the specific elements that come with GIS work, such as procurement of data from inside and outside the organization, working with IT to make use of the technology, and collaborating with people with varying degrees of GIS knowledge. There are benefits to internships in organizations with and without much GIS integration. With higher integration you can learn from experts; with lower integration, you learn to "translate" the discipline and its needs to your coworkers while explaining the importance and benefits of your work.

Networking specifically with GIS professionals can help with finding GIS-specific opportunities. GIS is a competitive field, and when organizations are looking for GIS-specific work, it can help to have people who can back up the worth of your skills to their peers. People you network with can also help you learn. Don't be afraid to ask for tips about both the job search process and the actual responsibilities of working in a GIS position.

GIS technical skills are important to practice anyway, and during an internship, you get specific scenarios with real consequences to hone your skills with. Soft skills can be worked on in any type of internship - that is one of the benefits of getting this type of workforce experience. Some of the aspects of working cannot always be as easily prepared for, and being on-the-job helps you learn what to expect and how to deal with it.

Internship work can be one of the most valuable parts of a portfolio because it is used to tackle an actual scenario with lasting impact. Make sure to emphasize in your portfolio the impact that your work has had on the organization you interned at. Especially when starting out in the workforce, these types of contributions can make an important difference to potential employers.

Internships are learning experiences. Going through the motions to complete a project is important, but it is just as important to get in the skills practice, and to find out what you are getting right and what could use improvement. Learning from mistakes at this early stage can be very helpful later on - though remember that the learning process should be ongoing over the years as well.