In the News: Internships Market the Quad Cities to a Younger Workforce
According to the Quad-City Times, each year the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce connects hundreds of students with internships in the Quad City area through their InternQC Program. The program has seen drastic growth over the last six years to include over 270 interns this year from 23 states and one other country. According to a study conducted by the American Institute for Economic Research, the quality of life is a top priority for nearly 70 percent of the young workforce when choosing where to live. The InternQC Program helps connect the interns with other peers through different social settings and events; some companies even arrange for their interns to live in the same housing complex so they can create strong bonds both in and out of the workplace.
Our own Jill Niebuhr, Director of Talent and Development, was recently interviewed by the Quad-City Times to discuss attracting young talent to the Quad Cities. She shared, “Spotlighting amenities and having a network of young talent attracts more workers to the company’s internship program. In turn, it makes it easier for Russell to hire a skilled workforce. We’re finding that the best way for us to secure talent is to nurture it in this way, through internships and the potential to come on board full-time. It’s tough to get individuals to this area when they’re not already established here. But this way, they learn about us and our culture. And it gives them a realistic preview of whether or not this is the industry they truly want to be in.”
Each summer, several interns join the Russell team ranging from Project Management to Marketing. Each of our interns spend their time doing hands-on work that directly contributes to our business. Russell’s Intern Program is designed to provide a realistic preview of professional career choices while providing real world experience and exposing them to our company’s unique culture. They share their time and talent, and we make sure they leave equipped with experience that helps prepare them for their career goals.
Read the full article here: Internships market the Quad Cities to a younger workforce