Last week I visited Interactive Intelligence, Inc. on Indy’s northwest side. I3, as staff members refer to their company, is participating in the inaugural Future Workforce Connections program. In partnership with Department of Workforce Development,  Indiana INTERNnet has placed 26 educator interns in summer internships around the state. 

Tina Bedel, an IT teacher at Ben Davis High School, has been with the I3 tech team for a month and while the team helped her develop lesson plans to take back to the classroom, they brushed up on skills they don’t use on a daily basis. The team atmosphere is one aspect of her experience Tina will share with her students. As students sometimes balk at the idea of teamwork projects, Tina knows the importance of working alongside of others and now has firsthand knowledge of what can be accomplished through this work approach. 

I3 is one company committed to growing its own as their internship program has more than doubled from last year hosting 23 interns in 2008. From high school students to educators, I3 understands that in order to cultivate employees for tomorrow, they must invest in the emerging workforce today. There is no way a kid with even a bit of interest in IT couldn’t be motivated by spending some time at the very cool I3 headquarters. If our remaining internship site visits are even half as good, I will consider this program a success. Employers, if you’d like to be part of the 2009 summer internship program, join us on Aug. 5 to learn more.

My family and I were sitting around the dinner table the other night discussing summer plans. Sprinkled in among sports camps, vacation destinations and family visits was conversation about my daughter’s upcoming internship. As executive director of Indiana INTERNnet, I know the power of internships and am confident that through this first of many internships she will gain real life work experience to complement her classwork at Purdue University. 

After a few nudges from mom, my daughter created her free student account, searched for and applied to four internships on Indiana INTERNnet. Within 48 hours, she heard back from all of the employers and ulitmately was offered an internship with Scott A. Jones. 

Indiana INTERNnet’s online matching system connects students and employers for internship opportunities, and as a complement to the matching system, Indiana INTERNnet offers free internship program assessments to employers wishing to implement or enhance existing internship programs. Addtionally, employer workshops are being hosted throughout the state over the next 60 days. 

Is your company planning to host interns this summer? If so, we’d like to hear from you and your interns. Post internship comments and questions on this blog today and inspire other Indiana employers to follow your lead of keeping the workforce talent in the Hoosier state.