I had a chance to meet with the director and advocate of the YRichmond program that was started a few years ago to better connect summer interns to the Richmond community. Their program is sharply focused on the summer intern with the goal of kepeing them when they graduate.

A similar program was started several years ago in Roanoke, but has not reached the same level of success. One of the strongest supporters of the YRichmond program actually inquired about the Roanoke program, which started one year prior to the YRichmond program. There are a couple of reasons the Roanoke program has not reached the same level of success of the Richmond program.

First, the college student base is not in Roanoke. It is in the NRV and in Roanoke County.

Second, it is extremely difficult to identify all interns with local companies and get the intern’s contact info to invite them to such an event.

Third, some students and employers are vague on what actually constitutes a summer intern (Really, it should be any student working in the region for the summer), and therefore does not think it applies to them.

Four, you must give the college student the authority to determine what the content of these social outings will be. More mature adults cannot guess, plan an event, and then promote it. It is not as effective.

Five, we need more champions to embrace why it is important to establish intern programs (The chamber had a wonderful event some time ago helping local companies, but am not sure of the ultimate result of companies establishing programs.) and then we must rally the summer interns at each of the companies and show them others like them and guide them in discovering the things to do when not working.

Six, academic and business time do not mesh. Often times you see employers wanting an intern when the students are out of school for the summer. Now is the time to acquire the intern and to establish a program.

However, the NCTC is continuing its intern program for its members. If you are an intern or an employer wanting to use interns, then contact Cory at cory@thetechnologycouncil.com.  If you have ideas of would like to help with this effort, then it is welcomed.