Has your business ever employed an intern? Have you considered the possibility? When done right, having an intern join your staff for a few weeks or months benefits both you and the student.

Knowing where to look for an intern is often difficult, but can be just as hard for students to find internships. Connecting with the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce is a great way to get businesses connected with students who are qualified and interested in working for your business.

Nicole Alden is a Human Resources Intern at Specialty Fabrication and Power Coating (SFPC) in Franklin and a sophomore studying Human Resources at Kent State University. Nicole was not sure how to find an internship when she was coming home last summer, but before her spring term ended, she reached out to Susan Williams, President & CEO of the Venango Chamber.

The Chamber was ready to pair businesses with interns, to help both our members and students. Many students are required to have an internship in order to graduate.  For others, they are seeking income, experience, or both. In Nicole’s case, she not only fulfilled her college credit requirements, but she now has a position she hopes to continue in upcoming summers.

Among those the Chamber reached out to was the Venango County HR Group. The secretary of the HR group shared the resumes of intern candidates, provided by the Chamber, with members of the group.  The HR & Safety Manager at SFPC received the resumes and then reached out to Nicole.

Nicole was able to work with a company that not only helped her grow professionally, but also valued her ability to do work. “I was not expecting to get as much hands-on work, but I was happy to learn and work 40 hours a week over the summer, getting a meaningful experience in my field,” she said.

In a perfect internship, a business should benefit from the additional help to relieve regular staff or may accomplish special projects that are otherwise difficult to tackle. Students can bring a fresh perspective and often augment skills of other staff.

Nicole’s internship experience is an example of success that has also been realized at other businesses around Venango County. Susan Williams remarks: “The Chamber has employed interns for the last couple of decades and while reaping the benefits of increased staff, has developed great relationships with these young professionals. By providing them with a meaningful work experience, we have influenced many to see our community from a much more positive perspective.

If your business is interested in finding a summer intern or you know a student looking for an internship, contact the Chamber. Susan said: “We’d love to make an introduction between your business and a future employee.”

This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s February 2020 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.