UNC SYSTEM-WIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM – Supporting Career Options with Work Based Learning: UNC SYSTEM-WIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM – Supporting Career Options with NC’s Mid-Sized Businesses NC Works Conference • October 6, 2016 Greensboro, NC Scott Daugherty Asst. Vice Chancellor & State Director North Carolina SBTDC sdaugherty@sbtdc.org

Work Based Learning is an educational strategy that provides students with real-life work experiences where they can apply academic and technical skills and develop and improve their employability

It creates a different learning paradigm: deliberately merging theory (the classroom) and practice (the workplace) It improves skills such as critical thinking and communication; and It helps to better inform students as to career choices

Work Based Learning within the University Community is Diverse Cooperative Education Service Learning Projects School-Based Entrepreneurs Business & Industry Visitations Job Shadowing Practicum Course Internships

Internships – as Work Place Learning in Colleges and Universities There is no Standard Definition of Internships Duration Level of effort Supervision Work focus Compensation Learning expectations and outcomes are often unclear beyond “experience”

Recommended Definition – National Association of Colleges & Employees (NACE) An internship is a form of experimental learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting.

Recommended Definition – National Association of Colleges & Employees (NACE) Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.

Recommended Criteria for Experience to Be Defined as an Internship The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.

Recommended Criteria for Experience to Be Defined as an Internship The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.

Recommended Criteria for Experience to Be Defined as an Internship (cont.) There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

So, Do Internships Lead to Jobs? Yes, at least for Paid Internships 63.1% 37.0% 35.2% Paid Internship Unpaid Internship No Internship NACE Student Survey

What Has Prompted The University’s Interest in Internships? National Trend – Increasing Use of Internships as a Part of the University Learning Experience Improved Data on the Effectiveness and Impact of Internships Results of Formal Input from North Carolina Businesses as to Their Assessment of University System Graduates

Needs of North Carolina Employers 2012 – as a part of the Strategic Planning Process, UNC General Administration hosted a number of employee roundtables. These were facilitated by the SBTDC. Key findings: Need for More Focus on Written Communications Problem Solving Critical Thinking Increased Internships

Needs of North Carolina Employers (cont.) 2015 – UNC GA again conducted focus groups across the state facilitated by the SBTDC. Key findings: Students were well prepared academically in their major More emphasis needed on: Oral & written communications Interpersonal skills Critical thinking Collaboration and teamwork

Needs of North Carolina Employers (cont.) Big companies affirmed the value they place on internships – the single most important student engagement campuses could implement to meet the needs of the business community Smaller companies, however, felt like “outsiders” National scholarly literature strongly affirms local employers views of the importance of internships

What Has Resulted from These Inquiries Board of Governors Authorized a Three Year “Pilot” University of North Carolina System Summer Internship Program Administered by the SBTDC Funded in part by the Duke Energy Foundation and The University of North Carolina To be monitored and evaluated by EPIC (Education Policy Initiative at Carolina)

Why was the SBTDC Selected to Administer this Program? Largest Inter-Institutional Program with The University (16 offices) Strong Track Record in Successful Engagement of Students (interns, graduate assistantships, summer consultants) Very Large Client Base – Small to Medium-Sized Businesses Highly Evaluative

Statewide Offices State Administrative Office in Raleigh Regional Service Centers in: Asheville, Boone, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Cullowhee, Durham, Elizabeth City, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, Nags Head, Pembroke, Raleigh, Wilmington, Winston-Salem

Program Characteristics Targeted at rising seniors from system campuses (16) Placements made with small to medium sized businesses which are an SBTDC client Paid by The University with a 25% matching fund commitment from participating campuses 8 weeks, full-time Up to 80 placements per summer

Program Characteristics (cont.) Design & Development of Program Expectations and Requirements Recruitment and Selection of Students Recruitment and Selection of Clients Rollout of the Program in the Summer of 2016

Program Characteristics (cont.) Job Description Development (each student) Ongoing student intern oversight and client engagement Pre and Post student intern and business client surveys 3rd party evaluation (EPIC)

Company Characteristics 1-9 employees 50% 100+ employees 10% 10-99 employees 40% Food, Lodging, Entertainment 5%

Benefits for Participating Students Students reported high confidence in their ability to apply knowledge They believe their experience will help them perform better in their classroom work in the next year They reported better understanding of how their major relates to the work environment They experienced higher levels of learning Overall rating of work experience 4.5 on 5 point scale

Benefits for Participating Companies Companies generally thought the internships would provide added staff capability They reported an increased completion of projects They were exposed to new ideas and new skills They valued the opportunity for an increased relationship with the University Overall rating of interns 4.3 on 5 point scale

Next Steps EPIC Evaluation – in process In-depth planning for improvements in Year 2 Active recruiting for students and companies

Conclusion The Internship Program represented the first broad-scale inter-institutional effort to proactively link students with small to mid-sized companies across the state. Both students and companies rated the experience highly (4.5) Over 35% of the participating companies indicated they would be interested in offering employment to their interns Students uniformly gained confidence in their ability to be effective in the workplace

Conclusion (cont.) Multiple logistical and institutional challenges were experienced in the roll out year – and successfully addressed Having an independent third party evaluation will prove beneficial in supporting a stronger focus on formal undergraduate internship program within the University

Asst. Vice Chancellor and State Director Scott Daugherty Asst. Vice Chancellor and State Director North Carolina SBTDC sdaugherty@sbtdc.org