Develop a Talent-Ready Workforce!
An internship program has tremendous advantages for both your company, students, K-12 schools and colleges.
K-12 students in Career Technical Education programs are required to have work experience. Sponsoring a curriculum in K-12 schools helps develop the skills you require. Offering students internships as they complete this curriculum is a win-win for your organization, the student and the school.
The 10 steps to your Future Workforce program are outlined here.
Let's dive in to the Fifth step, Internships
Internships
K-12 organizations struggle with finding internships and once they develop a corporate partnership it is difficult to manage the job postings, match students, and connect them with businesses to go through an application process. There are few tools for K-12 organizations to manage this process. STEM Fuse provides XLeap FREE of charge for teachers and students. You can post all of your internships (also free) within XLeap. Then XLeap uses skills-matching to identify student candidates for your postings. Students can apply for these positions and you are notified of student interest to begin engagement and recruiting.
Ensure your Intern program provides students with opportunities to learn about your company and career opportunities. Remember you are really marketing to your future candidates. Make sure you take advantage of the unique perspective of your interns – leverage their social media savvy, market perspective while offering them additional experiences.
The benefits of an intern program to your organization are many and significant:
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Provide your team with support and assistance and the opportunity to lead and develop interns. Leverage additional resources at lower costs.
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Build your future talent pool and develop their skills. Test drive your future talent.
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Increase your company's visibility and brand on college campuses and in K-12 schools. Engage with your future workforce early and often.
Finally, ensure your intern program provides opportunities for low-income and underrepresented communities, creating an inclusive approach. You can give back while improving your company. Intern programs are a win for everyone!
In this series, we will dive in to each step and discuss how to implement this strategy and create a qualified workforce.