HUMAN RESOURCES Hatching the idea In May 2011, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Business Success Center surveyed 205 participating students and employers from northeast Wisconsin technical colleges, two-year UW Colleges and four-year universities, according to Bartelt. The majority favored doing at least one internship prior to graduation, with 79 percent indicating it was “very important/ critical.” Two-thirds of the respondents wanted more than one internship. The students also indicated they want to explore certain fields, determine a good fit, gain practical experience for their resume and for skill improvement, support their education with paid internships, and develop a professional network. On the employer side, the survey found 59 percent of companies participating had employed a student intern during the last 12 months, Bartelt said. Companies felt that student interns can be potential future employees and affordable resources; they also contribute new ideas and technological skills. “Students and employers alike are increasingly citing internships, part-time work or volunteer experiences as the single most important factor in finding employment upon graduation,” said Bartelt. “Nationally, over 60 percent of companies consider college student internships as their number-one recruiting strategy. The Intern2work mission is to increase college student internships in support of regional economic growth while retaining the highly skilled, degreed talent in northeast Wisconsin.” Prior to its launch this year, Intern2work was beta-tested in spring 2012 by a group of employers and five NEW ERA members – UW Fond du Lac, Moraine Park Technical College, UW Oshkosh, UW Fox Valley and Fox Valley Technical College. “The results of the beta test indicated that employers enthusiastically supported the ease of use, simplicity and flexibility to search a broad range of career interests and experience of college students,” noted Bartelt. Additional input came from an advisory committee consisting of college career advisors and students in addition to employers, who ensured Intern2work’s relevance and efficiency.
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Using Intern2Work Enrolling is simple. Students go to Intern2work’s internship login page and set up their profile, complete with area of study, skills, career interests, resume, times available for work, references and recommendations. Registered employers log in and conduct a search that links suitable profiles with the internships being offered. Students can also search and apply for posted internships. As with any job, setting up interviews is the next step. Most internships are paid, Bartelt noted, although nonprofits may not have the budget. But they may still provide students with professional-development opportunities such as conferences, and the internship experience itself has value for the student. Intern2work has its own internship, currently held by UW Oshkosh senior Kenny Miller, who is completing a BBA in
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