Employers Need to Prepare Now for 2007 Spring Internships

Student internships offer an untapped pipeline of productivity for employers, and companies should plan now if they wish to establish intern programs in spring 2007. Thatís the message to both employers and non-profit organizations from Z University.org (ZU), a leading advocate and provider of workforce readiness solutions.

ìThere are more students in need of internships than there are employer ësite sponsorsí to host them,î states Matthew Zinman, president of Z University.org. ìThis is not just unfortunate for studentsí workforce readiness needs, but at least as much for businesses and organizations to leverage the opportunity to add intern productivity to the bottom line.î

As 2007 approaches, ZU strongly recommends that organizations take advantage of the opportunity to host college interns during the spring academic term. Besides added resources, student interns represent the ìnext generationî of employee talent, and workforce development is vital in an era where Baby Boomers are retiring in mass numbers.

ìInternships present the single best opportunity for students to gain practical training,î Zinman adds. ìNew reports, such as from The Conference Board (10.06), validate that the workforce is ëill-prepared.í Itís time for businesses to take action where their interests lie.î

ZU created its Intern Toolkit(TM) as a complete resource to enable employers to establish and easily maintain an internship program and create real value for companies and students alike. Z University also helps enable host sites by developing and providing many free internship-related resources, articles, webinars, assessment tools, white papers, etc.

ìAny business that hires college graduates or simply needs added resources stands to benefit from having college interns,î states Zinman. ìBusinesses will find college students to be highly capable, highly motivated and, if well-managed, highly valuable. They can quickly perform a variety of routine tasks, such as any involving research, writing, event planning, making phone calls and computer work. When you add the opportunity to apply studentsí chosen career skills, the value of internships quickly becomes clear.î