Internship programs are an opportunity for employers of all types and sizes to build a pipeline of talent and gain new ideas, speakers at the 7th Annual Internship Summit said. 
Held at DeSales University on July 23, the summit was presented by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC) in partnership with the Lehigh Valley’s colleges and universities.
One of LVEDC’s top priorities is building partnerships to create strategies that develop talent for the region’s employers. That work includes connecting educators with employers to foster internships.
The Internship Summit included a series of panel discussions and speakers who offered advice and shared first-hand experiences for the about 150 people who attended, a record audience for the event.
One of the sessions, “Internship Program Kickoff: Strategy, Structure and Success,” featured executives from Gross McGinley, LLP. Managing Director Deb Faulkinberry and Human Resources Manager Christina Anderson explained how and why their firm started an internship program, how it is structured, and how success is measured.
“We would never even consider not having an internship program at this point, because it has been so advantageous for us,” Faulkinberry said.
The program began eight years ago as part of a strategy to improve hiring.
“What better way to have somebody come and work for your organization and get to experience being there, and you get to try them out to see if you want to hire them before you offer them full-time employment,” Anderson said. “And then for the intern, what better experience can they have than a practical application experience to ensure that what they're studying in school is really what they want to do.”
“You may not hire them the next summer or when they graduate from college, but you've laid that groundwork,” Faulkinberry said. “And you may hear from them again in five years when you're advertising for a position that's perfect for them, that they have done while they were with you, and you now know this is a good fit.”
Interns bring fresh ideas. They do valuable work, lessening the load on staff. And a strong program can help a company build a brand as a desirable place to work, Faulkinberry and Anderson said.
Employers should not be deterred from starting a program because of the work involved, they said, because that work will pay off.
“Once it's all set up, it's not as much work to do it each year, because you already have the process in place,” Anderson said.
Employers of any size can create an internship program, she said. Internships can be companywide or offered in only certain departments.
The first step in creating a program is to review needs and set goals. Considerations should include what types of work would be available for interns, what skills interns should have, and what future hiring needs will be. Then take the plan to senior leadership, explaining the benefits, including potential revenue growth. Internships must make financial sense.
Ongoing evaluations strengthen the program once it has started, and ensure it benefits both interns and the employer. Gross McGinley learned that interns appreciated having the title of “summer associate.”
“It has just a little bit of a ring to it that makes it sound better,” Faulkinberry said.
The firm also learned that younger attorneys were preferred as mentors because they shared more in common. And that interns preferred not to work alone in personal offices, but to work in the same room.
“They want to collaborate, they want to share their experiences and bounce things off of each other,” Faulkinberry said.
The Lehigh Valley Internship Summit also included:
- A keynote address by Carly Chase, Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business School and a Vice President at U.S. News & World Report, who shared information about what interns are seeking from their internship experience.
- A panel discussion about managing internships.
- A panel discussion about growing use of artificial intelligence in business and education, how employers are leveraging AI in the workplace, and the skills that today’s students bring to the table
- A presentation on how large businesses can grow internship programs.
- Roundtable discussions on key topics for successful internship programs.
Crayola was Presenting Sponsor of the 7th Annual Internship Summit. DeSales University was Host Sponsor. Moravian University was a Gold Sponsor. Silver Sponsors were Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Muhlenberg College; Northampton Community College; St. Luke's University Health Network; Univest Financial; and Victaulic.
LVEDC’s talent work is made possible by the generous support of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Summit participants received the latest edition of the Internship Resource Guide, published annually by LVEDC to share information about internship programs, how to create and evaluate a program, and current trends in programs. It includes a directory of the region’s colleges, universities, and career and technical schools.
(Photos by Marco Calderon Photography)