Why Internships Matter for Students, Employers, and the Community

I had a chance last month to join and address about 150 college students from St. Joseph County who had gathered for the Scholarship Foundation of St. Joseph County's annual luncheon. What an impressive collection of students who once called St. Joseph County home and who are now scattered across the country pursuing their educational interests.

Hats off to the community leaders who, in 1958, recognized how critical education is to the future success of our students, and launched an effort to ensure that every St. Joseph County high school student with academic qualifications and a desire to attend college be given that opportunity. Over the past 67 years, the Foundation has awarded almost $6 million to more than 5,000 students.

At the luncheon, each student gave a brief introduction to where they attend school, their major, and what they plan to do after school. Most seniors were eager to secure gainful employment or continue their education. Many freshmen, sophomores, and juniors focused on securing internships to gain real-world experience alongside their academic studies.

I sit in a lot of meetings with employers; all concerned about where they will find the talent they need to help staff and lead their operations. It made me wish each of those employers had joined me for the luncheon, as they could have had their pick of some of the brightest young people to come out of St. Joseph County.

What is the likelihood that those students will return home as they transition into the careers their studies have prepared them for? That’s the age-old question every community is asking itself right now. How do we retain our homegrown talent? I think a meaningful internship with a local company is a critical first step and is key to introducing these students to the fine career opportunities available right here in their backyard.  

Our strategy is a simple one. A strong intern experience + a strong community experience = a better chance of retaining young talent in our region. We want to keep the young talent I met at the luncheon, but it takes a community effort to make that happen.

The most successful companies in our region have seen the benefits of bringing interns onto their teams. Internships are part of the talent pipeline and serve as a great recruitment tool for companies. Employers get a longer-term “test drive” with a potential future employee, and interns gain real-world insight and experience. Interns who have a positive internship experience are more likely to return to the company or our area when making a final decision about their future home.  

On the community side, the Chamber offers its Summer Connect program, which provides summer interns with opportunities to network with peers, build knowledge, and explore fun events happening in the region. Since its inception, more than 1600 students and 175 employers have participated. Those students came from 33 Indiana campuses and 116 out-of-state or foreign colleges and universities.

Unfortunately, there aren’t enough internship opportunities in our communities today to meet the demand from students seeking them. We need more employers in our region to commit to providing additional internships and other work-based learning opportunities.  

It’s easy to get started, and there are many great resources available for companies and interns. Work and Learn Indiana is a FREE work-based learning matching marketplace connecting Indiana employers with anyone seeking a work-based learning experience. Earn Indiana provides wage matching, where state matching funds help pay your intern, as does the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership's Regional Intern Program.