Austin Peay State University shared thrilling news for students and local employers. Thanks to the efforts of Eric Morgan, Associate Director of Operations, and Christopher Clarke, Assistant Vice President of Community Belonging and Success, APSU is launching a new paid internship program.
The program was made possible by a charitable $50,000 grant from the American Job Center, announced on Jan. 23 during the Clarksville Industrial Association meeting at the F&M Bank Arena.
This initiative is designed to connect APSU students with the valuable reality of work experience while offering employers the opportunity to cooperate with fresh aptitude.
This is a fantastic opportunity for every student to get involved, explore paid internship opportunities, boost their resumes and build critical skills for their future careers. At the same time, local businesses benefit from the vitality and inventiveness of APSU’s bright students, strengthening a more energetic community.
“Research shows a disconnect between what students need to be, workforce-ready, and the skills employers seek. While a degree helps develop hard skills, employers also value “career competencies,” eight key skills identified by industry and higher-ed experiential learning, such as student employment, research and capstone, helps students build these competencies,” said Morgan. “The new program aims to help students find paid internship opportunities by creating a way for studies to work together to bridge students’ gain of experience, prove themselves to employers and have something they could market.”
“This program was designed as a pilot… that I saw at the University of Michigan, and it was called the summit internship program. It’s been around for almost 30 years to help interested students in health career fields to find opportunities,” Clarke said.
As a program director, Clarke wanted to adapt some components of the program, collaborating with Morgan, Chris Sails and some of the workforce development experts to create a unique opportunity—to offer a job but a realistic programmatic experience so students are coming in and getting the practical job experiences.
According to Morgan, the partnership with the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council strengthens the internship program’s impact, helping to grow the region’s economy.
“To attract employers, we have to be sure we have that talent, and I want to reduce our students to talent and create a talented workforce,” said Morgan. “This program highlights the opportunity that will allow us to show our employers and even those interested in coming to this area to set up that Austin Peay produces quality work. Austin Peay can transform students into those workers they are looking for who can communicate effectively, demonstrate leadership and work for a diverse organization.”
Morgan emphasized the importance of focusing on Austin Peay and helping to build those connections as the partnership grows. He noted that bringing in talent promotes competition and growth, with internships that could potentially lead to job offers.
“As the population grows, other people are interested in our program as they come here to work on their internship; captivating highly educated human beings will bring more industry to the area,” said Morgan.
The program offers job opportunities, practical experience, skill development and exposure to numerous industries. The goal is to pipeline students into full-time careers by nurturing strong partnerships from the local community. Clarke highlights that the program’s success depends on collaboration, offering other employers the resources and edifice needed to thrive.
Clarke aims to track student learning, employer ratings and retention rates, hoping to expand the program to include students from different colleges outside Montogermy County. His goal is to highlight the return on a college degree and to ensure we give our students the practical experiences that help them post-graduation.
The launch of this program will guide students in navigating the process, including details about the upcoming sessions in February and more.
Here’s how to Apply:
https://apsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cIaVK1M1PBRz0Q6