Internship is the period that follows the initial education of future educators and is intended to introduce them to their professional activities within the institution for early and preschool education. During this period, trainee educators have the opportunity to develop their competencies and discover many ways in which they can grow as professionals. In addition, through their activities within the institution, they can enrich children and the entire community by using the skills they possess. Professional development of interns is monitored by the Internship Committee. At the very beginning of the professional activity, the support of the system, community and family is just as significant in shaping today's intern into a future professional. This paper provides an insight into the legal framework within which the internship is organized and carried out in the Croatian context. Furthermore, this paper presents the foundations on which the education profession rests and provides an overview of the professional development of educators and trainees. The paper refers to the existence of stages of internship and explains in more detail the mentor's role during the process of the intern's professional development. In addition to the stated theoretical claims, the paper provides insight into the intern's perception of the situation they face during their internship in an institution of education. An insight into the intern's experience during the internship and an overview of his interactions with fellow experts within the institution was done by conducting interviews with interns. By conducting interviews, considerable diversity was observed in the experiences that interns gain during their internship. Their stay within the institution differs mainly in the way they interact with fellow experts, as well as the age groups in which they carry out the educational process. During the research analysis, a difference in the motivation of trainees was observed, which significantly affects the quality of their educational activities. Internship can be viewed as a path to independent professional work if it is encouraged by the support provided to the intern. It is also important that during this process the intern be approached as a capable individual, which further encourages the lifelong learning.