What are Leadership Development Programs and Rotational Programs?

LDL and rotational programs are unique in that they give undergraduate students and recent graduates a chance to gain experience in various industries that can result in an internship or full-time employment.

By: Kiara Hines, Graduate Apprentice for Career Development

One of the many projects I’ve been working on this semester has consisted of researching leadership development programs (LDPs) and rotational programs for Business students.

These opportunities are unique in that they give undergraduate students and recent graduates a chance to gain experience in various industries that can result in an internship or full-time employment. Rotational programs are generally one to two years long and consist of literal rotations around the company every few months, allowing the participant to experience a variety of functional areas within their industry of interest and possess a comprehensive understanding of the field. They are great for students who may not know exactly what they want to do after graduation while gaining valuable experience in various functional areas.

LDPs can also include rotations depending on the employer but are typically aimed at current undergraduate students and usually take place during summer, spring, or fall terms. Some LDPs may be classified as internships, associate programs, junior rotational programs or a plethora of other related titles, which can make it difficult to search. 

Elon’s Student Professional Development Center website has a running list of programs that we have found thus far in industries such as communications, retail, sports, healthcare, and financial services. This can serve as a starting place to find language that may generate additional results through external searches. The following are a few opportunities I’ve found recently for the 2019-20 school year. Be sure to check our website regularly for updates.

Disney Accounting & Finance Rotational Program/InternshipBurbank and Glendale, California (accounting, finance)

The Hartford Marketing Leadership Development Program: Hartford, Connecticut (marketing, communications, business management)

Deloitte Accounting Fellowship: Deadline: Jan. 30, 2019 (accounting)

NCAA Postgraduate Internship Program: Indianapolis, Indiana (administrative services, accounting, championships, marketing, communications, education & community engagement, executive, inclusion, governance, public relations and regulatory affairs)