Tag Archives: Indiana
Pace Community Action Agency’s Internship Program
Entry by Colleen Borgmeier, Summer Coordinator Intern, PACE Community Action Agency
Pace has always wanted to implement an internship program, but the funds were not available until 2009 when stimulus dollars became available through the American Recovery Reinvestment Act. This Internship Program is providing summer employment opportunities for college students, giving us the opportunity to acquire skills, gain valuable work experience, and help finance our return to school. Opportunities are being offered within Pace facilities in Washington and Vincennes and will run for a 13-week period beginning May 11th and completing August 6th.
As summer coordinator interns, Andrew and I have already learned valuable skills to use next year after graduation. We have been working to monitor the high school workers who have been placed around various small businesses in Vincennes and Washington. We are also organizing and implementing a volunteer day and researching and creating surveys and other documents …
âEmployers, be brave, donât rule anything out, and youâll be surprised by the level of work of your virtual internsâŠâ
Entry by Anastasiya Elaeva, Indiana INTERNnet Intern
Still not feeling ready to start a virtual internship program at your organization? Maybe reading another organizationâs success story may persuade you. Interactive Intelligence Inc., a global provider of IP unified business communications solutions, headquartered in Indianapolis, has been hosting virtual interns for several years. Their corporate recruiter, Debbie Linville, shared with me how the idea of running a virtual internship program was born and what types of projects interns were working on remotely.
Interactive Intelligence launched their summer internship program in 2006. That year the company hosted six bright interns from different schools in Indiana. When the summer was coming to an end, and it was almost time for the students to return to their universities, one of the companyâs managers came up with the idea that the interns could keep contributing to Interactive Intelligence projects by working remotely from their …
The Art of Consulting
Entry by Ashley Cashen, Talent Acquisition and Retention Coordinator, digitalKnowledge
This past week, Bart had the opportunity to not only take part in a client meeting but to also do some traveling with our Co-Founder and Vice President, Sean. With digitalKnowledge being a consulting firm, we made the decision early on that it was imperative that we expose our intern to the client side, not just the internal works. Bart traveled to a small town in Ohio and had the opportunity to observe, meet a variety of people, and get a taste of the art of consulting.
Bart shared his experienceâŠ
âRecently I was given the opportunity to attend my first client meeting! When I was approached I wasnât sure where I would be heading, or what digitalKnowledge was doing for the client. I was excited for a few reasons. I was given the chance to see what consulting does …
Students: Are You Ready for a Virtual Internship?
In the June INTERNnetwork, we included an article about virtual internships, working for an organization outside of an organizationâs office. Although there are benefits of being a virtual intern (no office commute, flexible work schedule, no dress code, more personal freedom, etc.), not every student can excel as a virtual intern.
Before you apply for a virtual internship, consider these questions:
– Do you have previous internship experience in an office setting?
– Are you interested in working for a web-based organization?
– Are you interested in electronic outreach, including email pitching and social media communication?
– Are you self-motivated?
– Are you independent enough to work with minimal supervision?
– Are you technology savvy?
– Are you able to meet important deadlines?
A virtual internship may be ideal for a student who may not have the opportunity or funds for a traditional internship …
Top 10 Things I’ve Learned Working for the Indiana State Fair
Entry by Courtney Sampson, Marketing and Communications Intern, Indiana State Fair
Our Great Indiana State Fair is all about food, family, fun, and farmers â I added the farmers. Weâre more than just sweet corn and midway rides â although I enjoy both! Education is one of the values the Indiana State Fair holds near-and-dear â the young, the old, and everyone in-between can learn something while attending the fair. Iâm 2 Âœ weeks into my internship with the fair, and Iâd love to share with you some of the things I have learned thus far!
Top Ten Things Iâve Learned Working for the Indiana State Fair
10.) Thereâs such a thing as deep-fried butter & deep-fried sushi. On the other hand, the Indiana State Fair was the first state fair in the nation to eliminate trans-fat cooking oil.
9.) Horses (and their trainers) are weather-resistantâŠor maybe weather resilient
Continue Reading »
Employers: How Do You Choose the Right Candidate for a Virtual Internship?
Entry by Pat Patterson
In the June INTERNnetwork, we included an article about virtual internships, hiring on an intern to work outside of your organizationâs office. Although there are many benefits associated with hiring a virtual intern (no office space or personnel needed for constant supervision), not every student can excel as a virtual intern.
I included this checklist in the e-newsletter, which identifies some key characteristics of a student who may be more likely to excel as a virtual intern:
Checklist of Ideal Virtual Intern Characteristics Previous internship experience Self-motivated Independent/ability to thrive with minimal supervision Technology savvy Interest in electronic communication Flexible Value/goal driven Trustworthy Timely/ability to meet deadlines More certain of career aspirations
Although this list may not be an exhaustive list of characteristics, and all students are unique, it may be a beneficial reference to use when deciding who you may hire.
With the growth of …
Educators: Intern Site Visits
Entry by Pat Patterson
Intern site visits are a great idea for career services professionals who are interested in the work of their summer interns or who would like to build a better relationship with an employer(s).
A visit does not need to be formal – all you need are a few questions prepared in advance to ask your student and the employer about their experience. You may also choose to take a few photos to include in a story about a student’s experience to highlight in marketing material, your career services’ website, or your school’s blog.
Here are examples of some questions you may ask:
SITE VISIT QUESTIONS
Intern:
Tell us about the work youâve been doing during your internship experience.
What will you take away from this internship experience?
How has this internship experience influenced future career goals?
What has been the best/most challenging …
Avoiding Intern Isolation
Entry by Ashley Cashen, Talent Acquisition and Retention Coordinator, digitalKnowledge
Several things can lend to a negative experience for an intern â in my opinion, one of the biggest pitfalls can be isolating your intern from the rest of the company. One of the internâs expectations is to dive deeper into your company and the industry â to get an insiderâs look at how your company operates. Companies who treat their interns like temporary employees who come in and work on tasks that quite frankly, no one else wants to do, are neglecting their interns of valuable experiences.
There are several ways that we have chosen to involve Bart in the company and allow him to feel like he is a true member of the dK team. The first being very simple, but important – his location in the office. A lot of the work that Bart is participating in …
Students â Registering with Indiana INTERNnet (Video)
For all students who have not yet registered with Indiana INTERNnet, here is a video tutorial, which will walk you through the registration process.
Making an Impact as an Intern
Entry by Courtney Sampson, Marketing and Communications Intern, Indiana State Fair
Between researching and writing press releases, blogging about Indy Premier Cage Fighting, engaging with the community via social media, attending various meetings, and learning about mission and vision statements, I built a house. Yep, you heard me â a real-life, five-bedroom, two-bathroom home.
OK, for all you skeptics out there, I didnât exactly build the house with my own two hands, but I did work up a sweat by hammering some nails, dragging a few 2 x 4âs, and helping to carry the âwalls.â Last week, Indiana State Fairgrounds commission, board, and staff members, along with hundreds of volunteers from sponsor companies, helped construct a Habitat for Humanity Ag House.
Several Indiana agriculture businesses and organizations have stepped up in a BIG way to make Tamika Allenâs dream of home ownership a reality, showcasing the impact of Indianaâs agriculture, …
Employers – Registering with Indiana INTERNnet (Video)
For all employers who have not yet registered with Indiana INTERNnet, here is a video tutorial, which will walk you through the registration process.
What exactly is Indiana INTERNnet?
Indiana INTERNnet is an internship-matching program linking employers, students, high schools, colleges and universities by providing both high-tech and high-touch support. It is a powerful high-tech Web-based search, matching and reporting system coupled with âhigh touchâ personal assistance, a toll-free hotline to answer questions and provide internship guidance, resource materials, creating or expanding high quality internship opportunities within the state.
Educators: Department of Labor Guidelines on Internships – What are your thoughts?
Entry by Pat Patterson
At this point, I am sure most, if not all of you are aware of the Department of Labor Guidlines concerning internship compensation. Although these guidlines may not seem that “new,” it is always good to share our thoughts.
According to The Department of Labor, the following six legal criteria must be applied when making a determination if an internship is required to be paid:
1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment.
2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff.
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually …
What if we CAN have a successful internship program?
Entry by Ashley Cashen, Talent Acquisition and Retention Coordinator, digitalKnowledge
Founded in 2003, digitalKnowledge is a smaller, but mighty IT consulting firm. Last fall it became very apparent that digitalKnowledge was missing out on a great opportunity â hosting an intern. When the idea first began circling the office, it made perfect sense. We are a smaller company, but that lends to our unique office culture – a culture that is a perfect educational environment for an undergrad intern.
Several months later, here we are, with the first dK internship program well under way. The process to get here consisted of a lot of research and conversations pondering that never-ending question, what if? What if we donât have enough work to keep the intern busy? What if we canât pay the intern enough? What if we donât have the staff to oversee the intern? And so on, and so on.
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Employers – Indiana INTERNnet: Your One-Stop Shop for Quality Internships
Entry by Pat Patterson
As all students may not understand the value of internship experience, not all employers may be aware of the benefits of hiring an intern or even how and where to find one. To help all employers with their internship apprehension and intern search, I provided a list of frequently asked questions with answers to such concerns in our February INTERNnetwork e-newsletter. The article is reprinted below. To subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, click the link at the bottom of the page: https://www.workandlearnindiana.com/newsletters.asp. Please feel free to add any comments or questions.
1. How will my company benefit from hiring an intern?
An internship is a unique opportunity for your company. It allows you to bring fresh ideas and talent, the latest technologies, and energetic students into your company. This increases exposure to the most innovative concepts circulating in your specific market. In addition, internships are becoming …
Goinâ Hog Wild for the Great Indiana State Fair
Entry by Courtney Sampson, Marketing and Communications Intern, Indiana State Fair
Iâd like to consider myself a âresearch queen.â Really, I love reading and surfing the Internet; this trait bodes well for me when researching potential internships or future jobs. When I stumbled across the Publicity/Media Relations internship for the Indiana State Fair, I learned that it is the âYear of Pigs.â Iâm a Hoosier gal, so the idea of celebrating pork didnât faze me much. After all, Indiana pork production contributes $3 billion to Indianaâs economy annually! See â told you I like research. Needless to say, my first day on the job really brought the âYear of Pigsâ to lifeâŠso-to-speak.
One of my responsibilities is to assist Andy Klotz, Director of Publicity & Media Relations for the State Fair, escorting the media to various events at the fairgrounds. My first day coincided with the Indiana …