That internship application from the guy with 15 years of management experience? Don’t send it to the shredder just yet – it might not be a fluke. It may simply just be part of a growing workforce trend in which older workers are competing with their college-aged counterparts for open positions.

According to a new survey released today by CareerBuilder, 23 percent of employers are seeing experienced workers (those with more than 10 years of professional experience) and mature workers (workers aged 50 or older) apply for internship positions at their organizations. (The results are consistent with a 2009 survey that indicated that more mature workers were considering internships as a way to break into a new industry.)

Of the more than 2,500 employers surveyed, more than one quarter (27 percent) said they plan to hire interns during the remainder of 2010 to help support workloads, the majority of whom plan to offer paid internships – with hourly pay ranging from $10 or more per hour (for 55 percent of employers) to $25 or more per hour (for 5 percent of employers). You can see more statistics from the press release here.

The Atypical Intern: Consider It
If you’re among the 23 percent of employers seeing more experienced workers apply for your positions, do yourself a favor and take them seriously. Today’s workers – regardless of age and experience level – view internships as a way to explore new opportunities, according to Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder, while the companies that hire them can leverage these workers’ years of professional experience, strong work ethic and extensive skill set to benefit their bottom line.