CONTACT: DWD Communications, 608-266-2722
On the Web: http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/news.htm
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MADISON – Governor Walker has declared April as Internship Awareness Month in Wisconsin, coinciding with National Internship Awareness Month, to raise awareness of the state’s efforts to help employers develop and implement internship programs as well as connect students with Wisconsin based internships through resources such as WisConnect, the state’s website located at internshipwisconsin.com dedicated to connecting employers with student talent.
“Wisconsin’s unemployment rate is at an all-time low and there are more people employed in Wisconsin than ever before,” said Governor Walker. “One of our employers’ biggest challenges is finding people to fill available openings. Internships are a proven strategy to help employers attract, train and retain the brightest student talent for critical positions, and I encourage Wisconsin employers to make more internship opportunities available to ensure a robust talent pipeline.”
Under Governor Walker’s leadership, DWD expanded the Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training program in 2016 to implement a statewide internship coordination program and launch WisConnect, a free resource that connects student talent with Wisconsin-based internship opportunities. The new site has already registered hundreds of students and today has over 1,600 internship positions posted.
“Governor Walker’s Internship Coordination program aims to deliver yet another premier training option, helping employers implement internship programs as well as recruit student talent through an innovative website, WisConnect, to help them find current and future employees,” DWD Secretary Ray Allen said.
Employers from across Wisconsin as well as students are understanding the benefits of operating or being a part of a robust internship program. Statistics from the National Association of College Employers show:
Over 75 percent of employers indicate that the primary reason for developing an internship program is to recruit and hire-full-time, entry-level talent.
Sixty-seven (67) percent of employers extend a full-time job offer to interns upon completion of their internship.
Over 65 percent of entry-level full time hires who had an internship are still employed at the company after one year.
Nearly 52 percent of full-time employees who had an internship at the company are still employed at with the company after 5 years.
One-half of employers find internship candidates through websites like WisConnect.
Governor Walker’s proclamation is available online.
Visit WisConnect at https://internshipwisconsin.com
