Traditionally, students would search for internships on their own or go through their school's career center to find their ideal internship. But a new trend is springing up that is driving students elsewhere in their search.

More and more students are going to companies and organizations that will either find an internship for them or help them find one. Some of these organizations charge students for their services, and some do not.,”

For college students, having one or two internships under their belt before graduation is almost a rite of passage.

"Employers find that students with internship experience are more marketable and more able to apply what they have learned in school," said Julia Rodrigues, assistant director of the Career Services Center. "They can hit the ground running."

Traditionally, students would search for internships on their own or go through their school's career center to find their ideal internship. But a new trend is springing up that is driving students elsewhere in their search.

More and more students are going to companies and organizations that will either find an internship for them or help them find one. Some of these organizations charge students for their services, and some do not.

One group that does not ask for payment is the Chicago-based Brill Street and Company, which opened a Milwaukee branch in January. Brill Street has students load their resume onto its Web site database, and lets the students know if they are eligible for an interview within 48 hours.

According to Sheila Bourbonais, client solutions director of the Milwaukee branch, Brill Street offers both short and long-term internships and allows students to find an internship relevant to their major.

Brill Street also only works with paid internships.

"We believe that students come with a lot of talents and abilities," Bourbonais said. "In a for-profit company they should be considered part of the workforce and be paid for their work."

Another company, University of Dreams, organizes summer programs in six cities in both the United States and Europe and offers students a money-back guarantee that the company will place them with an internship they love.

"You wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it, so before you graduate you should test-drive your industry," said CEO Eric Lochtefeld, on why he thinks students should have internships.

According to Lochtefeld, the average cost of one of his company's programs is $7,500, which includes room and board, food, transportation and some planned activities.

The price of such programs, however, is not always considered favorable by similar services.

"Students shouldn't have to pay to find an internship," Rodrigues said. "Our office provides plenty of opportunities that are free of charge and are the same thing students can get from a paid service."

Bourbonais said she didn't think that was an expense students should have.

Jenny Bobula, a senior in the College of Communication, went to Los Angeles with University of Dreams, a summer internship program, last summer. The program placed her with Comedy Central and Scout Productions.

Bobula said her experience with the program allowed her to experience the city she wants to live in and make great connections. She also said she got a good feel for the entertainment industry and was offered a job at Scout Productions to work on the show "Big Brother," which she will probably take.

"I would pay it all over again," Bobula said. "I would have never been able to have this opportunity if I did it on my own."

While other options are available, Lochtefeld and Bourbonais both stressed the importance of college career services centers.

"We work with schools by letting them know what our services are about," Bourbonais said. "We encourage students to use their career services – we don't want to be a substitute."

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