Central MN Internships are Valuable and Most are Paid

Internships are valuable to both interns and employers.  Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, and Renee Theisen, Human Resource Specialist from Geo Comm, joined me on WJON today.  Over 70% of employers offer an intern a full time job with 80% of those people accepting those jobs.  56% of interns get full time jobs from internships.

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Internships are also valuable for employers.  Employers have a chance to train these interns with an opportunity to offer jobs to those who fit best with their business or organization.  Cruikshank says it doesn't matter the size of the company when it comes to success in regards to recruiting interns.  She says most internships are paid and Cruikshank recommends to employers to pay their interns.  Renee Theisen says Geo Comm's internships are paid with interns typically logging 20-29 hours a week.  Cruikshank says non profits may not always be able to pay their interns but could offer a stipend.  She says these interns are giving up working someplace else to work there.  Cruikshank says it is even more important for employers to pay interns considering the worker shortage that many industries are dealing with.

Renee Theisen says they have hired 15 interns this year alone and plan to increase intern openings in 2022.  She says they have hired 3 former interns into full time jobs this year already.  Theisen says many of the jobs at Geo Comm are remote based jobs.  Because of that they've been able to bring both interns and full-time staff on from outside the area.

Learn more about internship opportunities and all the job opportunities in the St. Cloud area at stcloudshines.com.  If you'd like to listen to my full conversation with Gail and Renee it is available below.