The 6th Annual Lehigh Valley Internship Summit, which informs businesses about best practices and current trends in internship programs to set them up for success, will be held Tuesday, July 23 from 8 a.m. to noon at DeSales University. 
In the Lehigh Valley, employers continue to prioritize attracting new talent to their businesses and growing their talent pipelines. One tried and true way is through internship programs.
The Internship Summit is presented by Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. (LVEDC) in partnership with the Lehigh Valley’s colleges and universities.
“The Lehigh Valley Internship Summit was born of a 2018 talent study where employers in the region voiced that they wanted to grow their talent pipelines through internships and specifically to hear from other businesses here how they host successful programs. The businesses hoped for more opportunities to learn from each other and to connect with our 11 colleges and universities and three career and technical schools. So every year, we plan the summit centered on current trends and evolving needs,” said Karianne Gelinas, LVEDC’s Vice President of Regional Partnerships & Talent Strategies.
There is no cost to attend the Internship Summit. Registration is required. Register here.
DeSales University is the Host Sponsor. Penn State Lehigh Valley is a Gold Sponsor. Silver Sponsors are Barry Isett & Associates, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Manufacturers Resource Center, and Univest. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact LVEDC Program Manager Stephanie Wean at SWean@lehighvalley.org.
The agenda and speakers for the 2024 Internship Summit will be released shortly.
At the 2023 Lehigh Valley Internship Summit, attended by about 100 people, panels of employers and interns discussed the importance of mentorships and the importance of creating projects for interns that are meaningful for both interns and their employers.
Keynote speaker Shawn VanDerziel, Executive Director of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), shared data showing how internships pay off for employers.
He said 72% of employers surveyed by NACE had extended employment offers to their interns, and 80% of those offers were accepted.
Those interns turn out to be good hires. Seventy-six percent of former interns stay with the company or organization for more than a year compared to other hires, of whom only 52% stay.
You can watch highlights of last year’s summit here.
An annual Internship Resources Guide is published 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.
Both the Internship Summit and Internship Resources Guide are supported by LVEDC’s Education and Talent Supply Council, which connects leaders from business, education, and community organizations to identify talent market gaps and implement strategies that strengthen the talent pipeline.