Are there higher status (or at least 'better-sounding', more CV-ready) alternatives to the word 'intern'? At least in the UK, being an intern is perceived as low status, with connotations of being the person who makes the coffee. It also looks less impressive on a CV.
(The context which I'm searching in is that the charities I work for are offering internships of two to ten months. We provide accommodation and food/travel expenses, but this is closer to volunteering than employment. Many of our 'interns' have just graduated from elite universities, and they do relatively high-level and interesting work such as research. So it would be nice to call them something other than 'interns'.)
Best Answer
I'm sure this is a bit late, but in my work we use the word "fellow," as in a fellowship. From my experience managing interns, they have a terrible time getting people to call them back when they have the "intern" title.