In the current employee-constrained environment, it's essential for both employers and educational institutions to explore innovative ways to find and develop new talent. By establishing internship programs, employers can proactively address staffing needs, while school counselors and career advisors can help shape and empower the younger generation..

This 10 hour in-depth class includes all of the necessary component pieces to create and manage a successful internship program that meets the needs of your organization and provides a supportive, educational experience for your interns. It gives you the tips and tools to navigate the challenges and obstacles you might encounter.

Your course registration will include a handbook of all needed templates of HR materials, assessments, task lists, effective resources, work plans, and job descriptions to launch a successful program.

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Schedule

• Day 1 – 10:00 AM –4:00 PM Eastern Time
  • 1/2 Hour Lunch at 1:00 PM

• Day 2 – 10:00 AM –4:00 PM Eastern Time
  • 1/2 Hour Lunch at 1:00 PM

Two 15 minute breaks each day at instructor discretion

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Course Curriculum

DAY 1.  Session I (2.5 hours)

INTRODUCTION:  WHY HAVE AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM?

• Deciding whether to host an internship program:  How committed are you to the program
• What organizational needs can be met through an internship program: Building a “new talent” pipeline, filling staffing gaps, raising public awareness and community buy-in for your organization
• Deciding on the overall purpose of your program and how extensive you want the program to be
• What internship programs are and what they are not
• Is an organized internship program really that important
• What are appropriate learning objectives to include and how will they be measured
• How to maximize the benefit for both supervisors and interns
• How to meet both organizational and intern expectations

DAY 1.  Session II (2.5 hours)

FUNDAMENTALS OF AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM and
STRUCTURING YOUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

• Review of successful templates for Corporate and Nonprofit internship programs
• Creating work plans to meet the expectations and experience of your interns – while meeting the needs of your staff
• Choosing Intern duties and tasks that are both challenging and realistic
• Selecting realistic and rewarding time commitments for your Interns
• Keeping the scope of your intern program within the limits of your organization’s bandwidth, human resources, physical capabilities, and financial capacity
• How to encourage all departments within your organization to embrace and support a program
• Determining the appropriate length of a program: Will a year round, summer, or semester-long intern program best support your needs
• Working with colleges and universities to support your program
• Hosting and an Internship program designed to grow interns into full-time employees

DAY 2.  Session I (2.5 hours)

FINDING AND SUCCESSFULLY HOSTING INTERNS

Recruiting Best Interns: Marketing your organizations Internship program

• How to market your internship program effectively to attract the best candidates in a competitive market
• How to craft effective job descriptions – Sample language and templates that work best
• Best resources for reaching your candidate pool: Social media, LinkedIn, college and university career offices, and more

Reviewing Resumes and Interviewing Candidates

• How to identify interns that will support your overall organizational goals
• How to evaluate student resumes to best determine transferrable skills
• Recruiting interns with an eye to future full-time employment
• The intern interview process and how it differs from hiring full-time employees
• Who on your team should be involved in interviewing and hiring interns

Recruiting DEI and Non-Traditional Interns

• How to cultivate and embrace interns that represent diverse populations and incorporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your Internship program
• Providing a supportive workplace for non-traditional students, veteran students, and the special needs community

On-Boarding

• Creating a comprehensive orientation for interns
• Explaining expectations and duties
• Introducing interns to your office culture

Creating a Positive Internship Experience

• Supervising and mentoring interns: Techniques for providing instructive and appropriate feedback
• Meeting interns academic and social needs while working for your organization
• Working with colleges and universities to support your Internship program
• Understanding “Gen Z” and the millennial generation and setting appropriate expectations
• Assigning meaningful tasks and balancing work load
• Managing interns: Avoiding the headaches and maximizing the rewards

DAY 2.  Session II (2.5 hours)

COMPENSATION, BENEFITS, AND LEGAL ISSUES OF INTERNSHIPS and “OFF-BOARDING” YOUR INTERNS
           

Compensation, Benefits, and Legal Issues of Internships

• Understanding whether and how your interns should be compensated, or not
• Developing an equitable compensation package: What types of benefits can your organization offer and how might you increase the perks
• Stipends and college credit
• How do for-profit rules and regulations differ from those of nonprofit organizations
• Meeting employment laws and requirements:  A review of the Department of Labor’s Primary Beneficiary Test
• Understanding FLSA compliance
• Are unpaid internships legal, ethical and moral?
• HR’s role in managing and overseeing your program

Off-Boarding

• Creating meaningful templates for intern assessments
• Offering recommendations and references
• Making the full-time job offer
• How to evaluate the success of your internship program
• Getting good reviews from your Interns and sharing them for future recruiting

CONCLUSIONS AND LAST THOUGHTS