I just wanted to know how much an internship can impact upon job prospects.  I have taken a very generic Media degree, which in many ways I regret.  The qualification is too much of a blank canvas to appropriate a specific career.  We live in a society that permits these generic qualifications and permits one to apply them to the career they feel fit.  I wondered though about the impact undertaken internships really impact upon a prospective employers,  Are they truly sincerely beneficial?

Yes, I have read a few job descriptions and they do ask for experience, sometimes not even specifying the degree discipline you studied. I think that workplace experience is worth a lot more than basic theory in many cases. So I would say that an internship would definitely be beneficial if you're wanting to get into a specific area of work. But even getting an internship is easier said than done!

Short answer - yes, they are.

The experience you get from a placement is often more beneficial than the degree in a lot of ways. Employers are after soft skills and it's really worth getting involved in a real company to see what they do. It also shows initiative, and a willingness to work, which will look impressive to potential employers.

My thoughts exactly.

Employers want to be able to see that you can atually apply the skils your learnt at Uni/college in the work place. It is frustrating as it costs enough to go to Uni but they would like some practical experience as well, which usually means unpaid internships/work placements