March 17, 2025 • 19 mins
Internships create powerful win-win opportunities for both students and employers when structured properly. IALR's Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Kiana Dillard, explains how these programs build talent pipelines while giving students valuable real-world experience.
• Internships provide structured learning opportunities where students develop skills while exploring potential career paths
• IALR offers personalized consultation to help businesses create meaningful internship experiences
• Successful internship programs require clear goals, meaningful projects, mentorship, structure and paid compensation
• Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership provides matching funds covering 50% of costs for businesses with 150 employees or fewer
• Success stories include students being hired by their internship employers after demonstrating valuable contributions
• Alternative work-based learning programs include teacher externships, STEM camps, career fairs and apprenticeships
• Internships don't have to be full-time summer experiences—part-time positions during academic terms can work well
Learn more and get connected to resources: https://www.ialr.org/supporting-internships/host-an-intern/
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation in Southern Virginia. Our services, programs and offerings are diverse, impactful and far reaching.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Caleb Ayers (00:09):
All right, welcome to another episode of Inside
IALR.
Thanks for joining us.
So I think the fun part of theshow for me is how different
every episode is.
You know, sometimes it's reallyunique agricultural research,
sometimes it's manufacturingprograms or technology
development, and today it'sinternships.
So here we have Kiana Dillard,who is the Work-Based Learning
(00:30):
Coordinator for IALR.
So thanks for joining us.
Kiana Dillard (00:33):
Thanks for having me, Caleb.
Caleb Ayers (00:34):
I know a lot of your job revolves around
internships, so we'll startthere and then you can kind of
give some pitches for the otherdifferent work-based learning
programs that you work on.
But tell me a little bit aboutbig picture, I guess.
What is the definition of aninternship and why is that a
good model?
Kiana Dillard (00:51):
An internship is really defined as a structured
learning opportunity for astudent to develop some skills
usually soft skills and possiblysome hard skills with an
employer so that they can onenarrow down some career paths
and also figure out what theylike and don't like about the
different careers that they'reexperiencing and also to couple
(01:12):
their experiences with whatthey're learning in the
classroom to kind of supplementthat learning.
Caleb Ayers (01:16):
Here at IALR, kind of since the beginning.
You know, work-based learningand really any sort of workforce
development has been a big partof what we do.
Why are internships importantand beneficial?
For the employers that do them,but then also for the usually
students, you know the studentswho participate.
Kiana Dillard (01:32):
Gotcha.
So internships are a win-winopportunity.
So for students, they act as away for them to gain real-world
experience, skill development, achance to explore some
different career paths beforegraduation.
They also give them a chance tonetwork and see the different
types of jobs that might beavailable within an industry of
their interest.
Internships can also makestudents more competitive in the
(01:54):
job market.
So if an employer sees thatthey've had experience or either
within the industry or withincertain skills, then that will
make them a little moremarketable.
Also for businesses, then thatwill make them a little more
marketable.
Also for businesses,internships can create a
valuable talent pipeline, bringsome fresh perspectives to the
team, also help withproductivity by supporting
short-term projects, andemployers also get a unique
(02:18):
opportunity to either test driveor use as a probationary period
for potential future employeesand reduce hiring risk down the
line, and also help reduce thecost when coupled with available
funding and different resourcesthroughout the region.
Caleb Ayers (02:30):
I mean, a big part of your role here is to help
companies across not just, youknow, right around ILR, but
within those 15 localities.
And we always talk about GoVirginia that's a very unique
map that they have but it's 15localities in Southern Virginia
that you work with businessesacross those and helping them
basically set up an internshipprogram, helping them run an
(02:52):
internship program.
So talk about kind of thesupport that you provide.
As far as you know, what arethe different resources
available for companies who areinterested in creating an
internship program.
Kiana Dillard (03:04):
So here at ILR we offer personalized consultation
services.
So if an employer is looking tohost an intern, maybe they've
never done it before.
They're not sure what aninternship means, what it
entails.
We do offer talent plugsessions each month to just give
them basic information aboutthe benefits of an internship
for an employer, for a student,and also to define it, to define
(03:26):
some other types of work-basedlearning, because a lot of times
when employers thinkinternships they think it's just
for the student, just anopportunity for them.
Maybe they're going to getcoffee or something like that.
So we try to hone in on what itactually is and how it can be
valuable for both parties.
We also provide differenttoolkits and resources.
We can put them in touch withdifferent institutions.
You may have a pool ofapplicants or a pool of interns
(03:49):
that they're looking foropportunities.
We help them recruit and matchdifferent employers and
different students to differentopportunities, so that training
and that support is definitelyongoing however long they need
that.
And we also try to coordinateefforts through different
programs like VTOP, ignite andTeamShip to make sure that they
have all the support that theyneed.
Caleb Ayers (04:08):
And If a company is starting from scratch for them,
what makes a successfulinternship program?
How does a company go aboutmaking a successful internship
program?
Kiana Dillard (04:18):
They would definitely need to define clear
goals and outcomes, talk withtheir team, see if any needs
exist, any challenges exist, anytype of ongoing needs and
challenges that they have thatthey probably just don't have
the answer to as of yet,something that they just need a
fresh pair of eyes to look at.
They can also design meaningfulprojects or tasks, so something
(04:40):
that will help develop theskills of the intern but also
contribute to company outcomes.
But one of the most importantaspects of a mentorship is
assigning a mentor or supervisorto the intern to have some
ongoing guidance, feedback andsupport so that, like I said,
they're not just getting wateror getting coffee for everyone.
They're doing meaningful workthat they can kind of give some
(05:02):
feedback on throughout theprocess and then definitely
structure.
So if a company doesn't havemuch structure around what they
plan to do with an intern, thenit's not really going to be a
meaningful experience for themor the intern.
So having that structure isvery important.
Also, we want to it's bestpractice to provide paid
compensation and incentives forthe interns.
(05:23):
That is best practice, I know.
As a country and as also astate, we're trying to move more
toward equitable opportunitiesfor students.
So networking opportunities,company outings, volunteer
opportunities, different thingslike that for students.
So networking opportunities,company outings, volunteer
opportunities, different thingslike that, along with paid
opportunities, is best practice,and then just fostering a
welcoming and inclusiveenvironment so they can.
(05:44):
They're not just there to pickup extra tasks, they're actually
doing meaningful work.
Caleb Ayers (05:46):
Yeah, you mentioned the coffee thing.
I think that's the classicstereotype of we don't know what
else to do with them.
Exactly, exactly.
Kiana Dillard (05:53):
So have a plan in place before you do that.
Caleb Ayers (05:56):
You know you kind of walked through some of the
resources that IALR provides inhelping companies set up
internships.
I know a big part of what we dois connecting with, and I know
you work with the VirginiaTalent and Opportunity
Partnership.
Tell us a little bit about thematching funds program.
I know that's a big push thatyou guys are doing to try to
(06:18):
teach businesses about thisresource that's available to
them.
Kiana Dillard (06:20):
Right.
So the Matching Funds programis a very unique opportunity in
Virginia.
The program is designed forlegitimate businesses in
Virginia that are 150 employeesor less to take advantage of
matching funds.
They also have to be inbusiness for at least three
years or there's a specialcaveat for either entrepreneurs
(06:42):
or very small businesses orstartups that are participating
or have participated in sometype of business competition,
which I know we have a lot ofthroughout Southern Virginia.
They can either be an alumni ofthat or currently participating
in that to be able toparticipate.
So that's a nice little featurethat the program has.
But they provide 50% of the wage, fica, clothing, transportation
(07:05):
, housing, whatever the wholeinternship package is for the
intern.
So they would match 50% of that.
And also so they would match50% of that.
And also it's housed within astaffing agency, so that can
couple.
The employer can use as much oras little support from the
staffing agency as they need andthat would include sourcing,
recruiting, screening,interviewing, onboarding, so the
(07:26):
entire process.
So with the matching fundsprogram they're able to really
get hand-holding help throughoutthat process, because I know
like a lot of employers are verybusy so they just really want
to be told what to do so they'renot given too many options and
get a little analysis paralysis.
So it's a little.
It's a little more hand-holdingfor them.
Caleb Ayers (07:45):
So anytime a business can get access to funds
coming in from somewhere elseto help obviously an intern is
not a full-time employee but toget someone who can come in and
help and work on meaningfulprojects and meaningful work, as
you said that seems like a gooddeal.
So for you said, basically justbusinesses throughout our
region, those 15 localities whoare 150 employees or less, and
(08:11):
then any who have participatedin those business pitch
competitions, right?
Kiana Dillard (08:14):
And it's a statewide.
Caleb Ayers (08:15):
Have participated in those business pitch
competitions Right, and it's astatewide program but we
specifically serve Go Virginiaor VTOP Region 3.
What do you think and I meanyou know.
To go back to the coffeeexample, we you know that that's
a common misconception aboutwhat an internship is.
But what are some somemisconceptions or roadblocks
that you see in your work about,either from the employer side
(08:35):
or from the student side, aboutinternships?
Kiana Dillard (08:38):
I would think that the main thing that we've
seen is that employers don'tthink they have enough work for
an intern or enough structure tosupport an intern.
So with the supports that weoffer through our IGNITE program
and the VTOP program, it's alot of hand-holding, so we do
provide that additional supportto be able to go every step of
the way.
Here are some things you canconsider.
Here are some differentprojects you consider.
(08:59):
We also encourage employers touse ChatGPT or whatever type of
AI software and just writedifferent prompts about.
This is the type of jobdescription I have, or this is
the type of work that I have.
This is the industry that Ihave.
I'm not sure what an intern cando, so give me some feedback on
how to do that, and so that'ssomething quick and easy that an
(09:21):
employee can look up.
But we can also work with themone-on-one to kind of develop
that Also.
Another big one is concernsabout liability.
So when it comes to insuranceand like, especially this area
is a lot heavy on manufacturing,they think that an employee and
an intern has to be 18 to evencome into the plant or something
like that.
But they don't have tonecessarily be on the floor.
(09:41):
They can be in the marketing oradmin or finance department to
be able to still be within thatindustry, because you never know
, they may not be a line workerbut they could still work in
finance within manufacturing.
So those are some differentoptions, just to kind of talk
with your team, see what thedifferent challenges and stuff
are.
Another thing is students havinglike undervalued experiences.
(10:04):
So, like I said, being paid isa best practice to provide a
more equitable experience forthe students, because a lot of
these students are we all knowthe broke college student trope
as well.
A lot of the students aretrying to possibly contribute to
their family income, theirhousehold income, but also they
have other needs and differentthings like egg prices and
(10:27):
different things are going up.
So we want to make sure thatthey can have an equitable
experience with thoseopportunities.
And another misconception isthat internships are only for
large employers.
So with the VTOP program theydirectly address that program,
address that problem, making itmore available to the very small
(10:48):
businesses who might not alwayshave access to the large talent
pools and different things likethat.
Maybe they know someone whoknows someone else.
So trying to hone in on thosestakeholders and those
relationships is really whatthis program is about, so we
definitely leverage those things.
Caleb Ayers (11:03):
And I want to have two quick things.
So you mentioned the wholecollege student idea.
Most of these resources we haveare available specifically for
companies who are using collegestudents as their interns, not
high school, if that's correct,right.
Kiana Dillard (11:15):
Right For.
Caleb Ayers (11:15):
Vita, yes, okay.
And then the other thing is Ithink traditionally people think
internship, they think summeralso.
Talk about that idea of whatdoes that look like to do?
How do we support companies indoing non-summer internships?
Kiana Dillard (11:29):
So VATOP actually works throughout the year.
It's a year-round program.
Whenever a company needs thesupport, we can start the
process, so it doesn't have tobe in January or February.
Usually when companies aregearing up for summer
internships, that just happensto be the most time that a
college student has available,but they also have spring breaks
(11:50):
.
They also have winter breaksand different things like that,
so they can also take advantageof, like some part-time
internship opportunities.
It doesn't have to be afull-time, 40-hour internship,
so the employer can come to usand let us know what type of
supports they need and we canhelp them year-round.
It doesn't have to be specificfor the summer.
Caleb Ayers (12:08):
Yeah, I know our department has actually done
that recently with we had aintern during the fall and then
are actually have one startingvery soon for the rest of the
spring, and that's been very,very helpful to have someone
just part time coming in a fewhours here, a few hours there,
and again, it's all about thatflexibility, that they're still
getting that good experience.
They're still in school butthen we're getting some extra
(12:30):
support as well.
So your work that you've beendoing for the last few years
with internships in the region,tell me some kind of success
stories that you've seen aboutwith interns who have really,
really rocked it in the rolethat they've been in and their
internship, or even maybe endedup working with their company
full time.
Kiana Dillard (12:47):
I would have to say the first one that comes to
mind is Heidi.
Full-time.
I would have to say the firstone that comes to mind is Heidi.
She was a student fromPennsylvania County.
She had interned with theDanville Lifesaving Crew for a
summer in our program, I think acouple years ago and they did
end up hiring her on part-time.
So then she eventually, afterthat role, she did end up going
off to college, so that was agreat opportunity for her.
(13:09):
Also, we had a couple ofTeamShip students and if you
don't know so TeamShip is just aprogram where students are
matched with an employer.
They give them a real worldproblem and they can work in
teams to help solve that problem.
So that's another type ofexposure for employers to be
able to work with young people.
So a couple of TeamShipstudents work with a company
(13:30):
called Fast Tech here and theydid so great in the TeamShip
experience that they wanted tohire them on as interns for last
summer.
So that was a great successstory there.
And then we have Daniel, who isan AVERIT student and he worked
with AgroSpheres last summerand really enjoyed his
experience and he talked aboutit in raving colors on LinkedIn.
(13:53):
So I thought that was a greatexperience for him.
We've also had students whowork with the Danville
Pennsylvania County Chamber ofCommerce who they've had great
experiences with.
So the employers really seem toreally do seem to enjoy the
fresh ideas and the newinformation that the students
are giving them throughout theseopportunities.
Caleb Ayers (14:13):
And you mentioned the Chamber of Commerce.
I mean they have like fouremployees, so it's not again.
This is not just for bigbusinesses, this is for small
organizations as well.
It can be a very beneficialtool.
Yeah, I think those stories arecool, especially the one with
Fast Tech that I know.
Basically, he he created thatinternship program because he
saw that those students werestudents he wanted to work with
(14:35):
exactly you mentioned team ship.
I'll kind of open it up to whatother.
What other work-based learningprograms are you supporting, um
and and kind of?
What are the?
Yeah, what, what are those andhow do they?
How can companies participate?
Kiana Dillard (14:48):
so, um, I know before we had mentioned that
sometimes employers don't reallyknow what an internship is or
how it might go and differentthings like that.
If an employer is hesitantabout how to start an internship
, what it is different things Ofcourse we have the talent plug
sessions, but we also havedifferent types of work-based
learning that they canparticipate in.
They're a little bit morelow-hanging fruit.
(15:09):
So if you don't want to fullycommit to a paid internship, we
do have in the summertime.
We do have high schoolinternships, of course with
Danville, pennsylvania Countythat we provide 100% funding for
a high school intern.
We also have Excite teacherexternships, where teachers
actually go and visit employersthroughout the week different
(15:29):
employers throughout the weekand have a debriefing on that
following Friday so they can seewhat type of things need to be
taught into the classroom forthe different employees in the
region and just bring it back tothe classroom.
For the students.
We also have the STEM camps asearly as elementary school for
students here at ILR that arehosted here at ILR, that are
hosted During the fall.
(15:50):
We have Career Choice, which isa huge, huge career fair,
basically for students to comeand explore the different
careers and stuff we haveavailable in the region.
A lot of different employerscome there.
We have two, one here at theODEC and also at Hampton-Sydney
College, and then we have in thespring we have the Aspire Mock
Interview Day, which is kind oftransitioned to internships
(16:12):
interns only, but we can alsokind of tailor those programs to
whatever the need is at thattime.
And then of course year roundwe have college internships as
well as apprenticeships.
Caleb Ayers (16:23):
So basically a lot of things, a lot of different
ways that companies can eitherinvest a little bit of time and
do something more, can dosomething more short term or I
mean with internships, you knowthat could be several months
Apprenticeship.
Obviously you're basicallybringing on employee, bringing
on a new employee.
So those are all varying levelof varying levels of commitment
(16:43):
and great opportunities that youall do.
So I know generally we areright past the January February
push that you said for when mostcompanies are gearing up for
summer internships.
But kind of give your elevatorpitch to close for why a company
should do an internship, evenif it's not the traditional June
(17:07):
through July summer internship.
Kiana Dillard (17:09):
If an employer has any type of project that
they're working on.
Of course, we all know you andI work with businesses all the
time, so they're always going tohave some type of challenge,
some type of something going on.
So your team might have beenworking on a project or an issue
that they just can't getresolved or that they just need
a fresh pair of eyes for.
So just try and intern and see.
(17:30):
Especially with high school wecan cover 100% of the cost, or
with college you can do 50% ofthe cost, but there are supports
available if you want to try todevelop your talent pipeline.
Just see if a new, fresh set ofeyes will help your business.
It's a great opportunity togive a young person an
opportunity to see if that'swhat they want to do.
(17:50):
If you can develop companyculture with them, they could
possibly go on to be an intern.
I know we have plenty of internshere at ILR who have worked
with Virginia Tech and differentthings have gone on to be hired
here full time.
So shout out to Mitch.
But also, it's just greatopportunities, great supports
available in the region.
So I just encourage employersto really tap in and you don't
(18:12):
have to do it alone.
We offer a lot of handholding,a lot of step-by-step, so
there's really no excuse to notgive it a try.
Caleb Ayers (18:18):
You heard it from Kiana, so I got nothing else to
say.
So thank you all for joining us.
We appreciate it.
Kiana Dillard (18:23):
Thank you guys.
All right, welcome to another episode of Inside
IALR.
Thanks for joining us.
So I think the fun part of theshow for me is how different
every episode is.
You know, sometimes it's reallyunique agricultural research,
sometimes it's manufacturingprograms or technology
development, and today it'sinternships.
So here we have Kiana Dillard,who is the Work-Based Learning
(00:30):
Coordinator for IALR.
So thanks for joining us.
Kiana Dillard (00:33):
Thanks for having me, Caleb.
Caleb Ayers (00:34):
I know a lot of your job revolves around
internships, so we'll startthere and then you can kind of
give some pitches for the otherdifferent work-based learning
programs that you work on.
But tell me a little bit aboutbig picture, I guess.
What is the definition of aninternship and why is that a
good model?
Kiana Dillard (00:51):
An internship is really defined as a structured
learning opportunity for astudent to develop some skills
usually soft skills and possiblysome hard skills with an
employer so that they can onenarrow down some career paths
and also figure out what theylike and don't like about the
different careers that they'reexperiencing and also to couple
(01:12):
their experiences with whatthey're learning in the
classroom to kind of supplementthat learning.
Caleb Ayers (01:16):
Here at IALR, kind of since the beginning.
You know, work-based learningand really any sort of workforce
development has been a big partof what we do.
Why are internships importantand beneficial?
For the employers that do them,but then also for the usually
students, you know the studentswho participate.
Kiana Dillard (01:32):
Gotcha.
So internships are a win-winopportunity.
So for students, they act as away for them to gain real-world
experience, skill development, achance to explore some
different career paths beforegraduation.
They also give them a chance tonetwork and see the different
types of jobs that might beavailable within an industry of
their interest.
Internships can also makestudents more competitive in the
(01:54):
job market.
So if an employer sees thatthey've had experience or either
within the industry or withincertain skills, then that will
make them a little moremarketable.
Also for businesses, then thatwill make them a little more
marketable.
Also for businesses,internships can create a
valuable talent pipeline, bringsome fresh perspectives to the
team, also help withproductivity by supporting
short-term projects, andemployers also get a unique
(02:18):
opportunity to either test driveor use as a probationary period
for potential future employeesand reduce hiring risk down the
line, and also help reduce thecost when coupled with available
funding and different resourcesthroughout the region.
Caleb Ayers (02:30):
I mean, a big part of your role here is to help
companies across not just, youknow, right around ILR, but
within those 15 localities.
And we always talk about GoVirginia that's a very unique
map that they have but it's 15localities in Southern Virginia
that you work with businessesacross those and helping them
basically set up an internshipprogram, helping them run an
(02:52):
internship program.
So talk about kind of thesupport that you provide.
As far as you know, what arethe different resources
available for companies who areinterested in creating an
internship program.
Kiana Dillard (03:04):
So here at ILR we offer personalized consultation
services.
So if an employer is looking tohost an intern, maybe they've
never done it before.
They're not sure what aninternship means, what it
entails.
We do offer talent plugsessions each month to just give
them basic information aboutthe benefits of an internship
for an employer, for a student,and also to define it, to define
(03:26):
some other types of work-basedlearning, because a lot of times
when employers thinkinternships they think it's just
for the student, just anopportunity for them.
Maybe they're going to getcoffee or something like that.
So we try to hone in on what itactually is and how it can be
valuable for both parties.
We also provide differenttoolkits and resources.
We can put them in touch withdifferent institutions.
You may have a pool ofapplicants or a pool of interns
(03:49):
that they're looking foropportunities.
We help them recruit and matchdifferent employers and
different students to differentopportunities, so that training
and that support is definitelyongoing however long they need
that.
And we also try to coordinateefforts through different
programs like VTOP, ignite andTeamShip to make sure that they
have all the support that theyneed.
Caleb Ayers (04:08):
And If a company is starting from scratch for them,
what makes a successfulinternship program?
How does a company go aboutmaking a successful internship
program?
Kiana Dillard (04:18):
They would definitely need to define clear
goals and outcomes, talk withtheir team, see if any needs
exist, any challenges exist, anytype of ongoing needs and
challenges that they have thatthey probably just don't have
the answer to as of yet,something that they just need a
fresh pair of eyes to look at.
They can also design meaningfulprojects or tasks, so something
(04:40):
that will help develop theskills of the intern but also
contribute to company outcomes.
But one of the most importantaspects of a mentorship is
assigning a mentor or supervisorto the intern to have some
ongoing guidance, feedback andsupport so that, like I said,
they're not just getting wateror getting coffee for everyone.
They're doing meaningful workthat they can kind of give some
(05:02):
feedback on throughout theprocess and then definitely
structure.
So if a company doesn't havemuch structure around what they
plan to do with an intern, thenit's not really going to be a
meaningful experience for themor the intern.
So having that structure isvery important.
Also, we want to it's bestpractice to provide paid
compensation and incentives forthe interns.
(05:23):
That is best practice, I know.
As a country and as also astate, we're trying to move more
toward equitable opportunitiesfor students.
So networking opportunities,company outings, volunteer
opportunities, different thingslike that for students.
So networking opportunities,company outings, volunteer
opportunities, different thingslike that, along with paid
opportunities, is best practice,and then just fostering a
welcoming and inclusiveenvironment so they can.
(05:44):
They're not just there to pickup extra tasks, they're actually
doing meaningful work.
Caleb Ayers (05:46):
Yeah, you mentioned the coffee thing.
I think that's the classicstereotype of we don't know what
else to do with them.
Exactly, exactly.
Kiana Dillard (05:53):
So have a plan in place before you do that.
Caleb Ayers (05:56):
You know you kind of walked through some of the
resources that IALR provides inhelping companies set up
internships.
I know a big part of what we dois connecting with, and I know
you work with the VirginiaTalent and Opportunity
Partnership.
Tell us a little bit about thematching funds program.
I know that's a big push thatyou guys are doing to try to
(06:18):
teach businesses about thisresource that's available to
them.
Kiana Dillard (06:20):
Right.
So the Matching Funds programis a very unique opportunity in
Virginia.
The program is designed forlegitimate businesses in
Virginia that are 150 employeesor less to take advantage of
matching funds.
They also have to be inbusiness for at least three
years or there's a specialcaveat for either entrepreneurs
(06:42):
or very small businesses orstartups that are participating
or have participated in sometype of business competition,
which I know we have a lot ofthroughout Southern Virginia.
They can either be an alumni ofthat or currently participating
in that to be able toparticipate.
So that's a nice little featurethat the program has.
But they provide 50% of the wage, fica, clothing, transportation
(07:05):
, housing, whatever the wholeinternship package is for the
intern.
So they would match 50% of that.
And also so they would match50% of that.
And also it's housed within astaffing agency, so that can
couple.
The employer can use as much oras little support from the
staffing agency as they need andthat would include sourcing,
recruiting, screening,interviewing, onboarding, so the
(07:26):
entire process.
So with the matching fundsprogram they're able to really
get hand-holding help throughoutthat process, because I know
like a lot of employers are verybusy so they just really want
to be told what to do so they'renot given too many options and
get a little analysis paralysis.
So it's a little.
It's a little more hand-holdingfor them.
Caleb Ayers (07:45):
So anytime a business can get access to funds
coming in from somewhere elseto help obviously an intern is
not a full-time employee but toget someone who can come in and
help and work on meaningfulprojects and meaningful work, as
you said that seems like a gooddeal.
So for you said, basically justbusinesses throughout our
region, those 15 localities whoare 150 employees or less, and
(08:11):
then any who have participatedin those business pitch
competitions, right?
Kiana Dillard (08:14):
And it's a statewide.
Caleb Ayers (08:15):
Have participated in those business pitch
competitions Right, and it's astatewide program but we
specifically serve Go Virginiaor VTOP Region 3.
What do you think and I meanyou know.
To go back to the coffeeexample, we you know that that's
a common misconception aboutwhat an internship is.
But what are some somemisconceptions or roadblocks
that you see in your work about,either from the employer side
(08:35):
or from the student side, aboutinternships?
Kiana Dillard (08:38):
I would think that the main thing that we've
seen is that employers don'tthink they have enough work for
an intern or enough structure tosupport an intern.
So with the supports that weoffer through our IGNITE program
and the VTOP program, it's alot of hand-holding, so we do
provide that additional supportto be able to go every step of
the way.
Here are some things you canconsider.
Here are some differentprojects you consider.
(08:59):
We also encourage employers touse ChatGPT or whatever type of
AI software and just writedifferent prompts about.
This is the type of jobdescription I have, or this is
the type of work that I have.
This is the industry that Ihave.
I'm not sure what an intern cando, so give me some feedback on
how to do that, and so that'ssomething quick and easy that an
(09:21):
employee can look up.
But we can also work with themone-on-one to kind of develop
that Also.
Another big one is concernsabout liability.
So when it comes to insuranceand like, especially this area
is a lot heavy on manufacturing,they think that an employee and
an intern has to be 18 to evencome into the plant or something
like that.
But they don't have tonecessarily be on the floor.
(09:41):
They can be in the marketing oradmin or finance department to
be able to still be within thatindustry, because you never know
, they may not be a line workerbut they could still work in
finance within manufacturing.
So those are some differentoptions, just to kind of talk
with your team, see what thedifferent challenges and stuff
are.
Another thing is students havinglike undervalued experiences.
(10:04):
So, like I said, being paid isa best practice to provide a
more equitable experience forthe students, because a lot of
these students are we all knowthe broke college student trope
as well.
A lot of the students aretrying to possibly contribute to
their family income, theirhousehold income, but also they
have other needs and differentthings like egg prices and
(10:27):
different things are going up.
So we want to make sure thatthey can have an equitable
experience with thoseopportunities.
And another misconception isthat internships are only for
large employers.
So with the VTOP program theydirectly address that program,
address that problem, making itmore available to the very small
(10:48):
businesses who might not alwayshave access to the large talent
pools and different things likethat.
Maybe they know someone whoknows someone else.
So trying to hone in on thosestakeholders and those
relationships is really whatthis program is about, so we
definitely leverage those things.
Caleb Ayers (11:03):
And I want to have two quick things.
So you mentioned the wholecollege student idea.
Most of these resources we haveare available specifically for
companies who are using collegestudents as their interns, not
high school, if that's correct,right.
Kiana Dillard (11:15):
Right For.
Caleb Ayers (11:15):
Vita, yes, okay.
And then the other thing is Ithink traditionally people think
internship, they think summeralso.
Talk about that idea of whatdoes that look like to do?
How do we support companies indoing non-summer internships?
Kiana Dillard (11:29):
So VATOP actually works throughout the year.
It's a year-round program.
Whenever a company needs thesupport, we can start the
process, so it doesn't have tobe in January or February.
Usually when companies aregearing up for summer
internships, that just happensto be the most time that a
college student has available,but they also have spring breaks
(11:50):
.
They also have winter breaksand different things like that,
so they can also take advantageof, like some part-time
internship opportunities.
It doesn't have to be afull-time, 40-hour internship,
so the employer can come to usand let us know what type of
supports they need and we canhelp them year-round.
It doesn't have to be specificfor the summer.
Caleb Ayers (12:08):
Yeah, I know our department has actually done
that recently with we had aintern during the fall and then
are actually have one startingvery soon for the rest of the
spring, and that's been very,very helpful to have someone
just part time coming in a fewhours here, a few hours there,
and again, it's all about thatflexibility, that they're still
getting that good experience.
They're still in school butthen we're getting some extra
(12:30):
support as well.
So your work that you've beendoing for the last few years
with internships in the region,tell me some kind of success
stories that you've seen aboutwith interns who have really,
really rocked it in the rolethat they've been in and their
internship, or even maybe endedup working with their company
full time.
Kiana Dillard (12:47):
I would have to say the first one that comes to
mind is Heidi.
Full-time.
I would have to say the firstone that comes to mind is Heidi.
She was a student fromPennsylvania County.
She had interned with theDanville Lifesaving Crew for a
summer in our program, I think acouple years ago and they did
end up hiring her on part-time.
So then she eventually, afterthat role, she did end up going
off to college, so that was agreat opportunity for her.
(13:09):
Also, we had a couple ofTeamShip students and if you
don't know so TeamShip is just aprogram where students are
matched with an employer.
They give them a real worldproblem and they can work in
teams to help solve that problem.
So that's another type ofexposure for employers to be
able to work with young people.
So a couple of TeamShipstudents work with a company
(13:30):
called Fast Tech here and theydid so great in the TeamShip
experience that they wanted tohire them on as interns for last
summer.
So that was a great successstory there.
And then we have Daniel, who isan AVERIT student and he worked
with AgroSpheres last summerand really enjoyed his
experience and he talked aboutit in raving colors on LinkedIn.
(13:53):
So I thought that was a greatexperience for him.
We've also had students whowork with the Danville
Pennsylvania County Chamber ofCommerce who they've had great
experiences with.
So the employers really seem toreally do seem to enjoy the
fresh ideas and the newinformation that the students
are giving them throughout theseopportunities.
Caleb Ayers (14:13):
And you mentioned the Chamber of Commerce.
I mean they have like fouremployees, so it's not again.
This is not just for bigbusinesses, this is for small
organizations as well.
It can be a very beneficialtool.
Yeah, I think those stories arecool, especially the one with
Fast Tech that I know.
Basically, he he created thatinternship program because he
saw that those students werestudents he wanted to work with
(14:35):
exactly you mentioned team ship.
I'll kind of open it up to whatother.
What other work-based learningprograms are you supporting, um
and and kind of?
What are the?
Yeah, what, what are those andhow do they?
How can companies participate?
Kiana Dillard (14:48):
so, um, I know before we had mentioned that
sometimes employers don't reallyknow what an internship is or
how it might go and differentthings like that.
If an employer is hesitantabout how to start an internship
, what it is different things Ofcourse we have the talent plug
sessions, but we also havedifferent types of work-based
learning that they canparticipate in.
They're a little bit morelow-hanging fruit.
(15:09):
So if you don't want to fullycommit to a paid internship, we
do have in the summertime.
We do have high schoolinternships, of course with
Danville, pennsylvania Countythat we provide 100% funding for
a high school intern.
We also have Excite teacherexternships, where teachers
actually go and visit employersthroughout the week different
(15:29):
employers throughout the weekand have a debriefing on that
following Friday so they can seewhat type of things need to be
taught into the classroom forthe different employees in the
region and just bring it back tothe classroom.
For the students.
We also have the STEM camps asearly as elementary school for
students here at ILR that arehosted here at ILR, that are
hosted During the fall.
(15:50):
We have Career Choice, which isa huge, huge career fair,
basically for students to comeand explore the different
careers and stuff we haveavailable in the region.
A lot of different employerscome there.
We have two, one here at theODEC and also at Hampton-Sydney
College, and then we have in thespring we have the Aspire Mock
Interview Day, which is kind oftransitioned to internships
(16:12):
interns only, but we can alsokind of tailor those programs to
whatever the need is at thattime.
And then of course year roundwe have college internships as
well as apprenticeships.
Caleb Ayers (16:23):
So basically a lot of things, a lot of different
ways that companies can eitherinvest a little bit of time and
do something more, can dosomething more short term or I
mean with internships, you knowthat could be several months
Apprenticeship.
Obviously you're basicallybringing on employee, bringing
on a new employee.
So those are all varying levelof varying levels of commitment
(16:43):
and great opportunities that youall do.
So I know generally we areright past the January February
push that you said for when mostcompanies are gearing up for
summer internships.
But kind of give your elevatorpitch to close for why a company
should do an internship, evenif it's not the traditional June
(17:07):
through July summer internship.
Kiana Dillard (17:09):
If an employer has any type of project that
they're working on.
Of course, we all know you andI work with businesses all the
time, so they're always going tohave some type of challenge,
some type of something going on.
So your team might have beenworking on a project or an issue
that they just can't getresolved or that they just need
a fresh pair of eyes for.
So just try and intern and see.
(17:30):
Especially with high school wecan cover 100% of the cost, or
with college you can do 50% ofthe cost, but there are supports
available if you want to try todevelop your talent pipeline.
Just see if a new, fresh set ofeyes will help your business.
It's a great opportunity togive a young person an
opportunity to see if that'swhat they want to do.
(17:50):
If you can develop companyculture with them, they could
possibly go on to be an intern.
I know we have plenty of internshere at ILR who have worked
with Virginia Tech and differentthings have gone on to be hired
here full time.
So shout out to Mitch.
But also, it's just greatopportunities, great supports
available in the region.
So I just encourage employersto really tap in and you don't
(18:12):
have to do it alone.
We offer a lot of handholding,a lot of step-by-step, so
there's really no excuse to notgive it a try.
Caleb Ayers (18:18):
You heard it from Kiana, so I got nothing else to
say.
So thank you all for joining us.
We appreciate it.
Kiana Dillard (18:23):
Thank you guys.
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