CAP EDU Meeting Notes - March 9, 2012
Sheri Fraser – Discussed UMA internship opportunities for students and introduced the umacareer@maine.edu website.
Brenda McAleer – Reported that students find their own internships and make proposals. Working students have difficulties with having enough time for an additional working obligations.
Diana Kokoska – Presented optional internships for AS students and required internships for BS students of150 hours. Eastern Maine Development Corporation has supported paid internships for the last 7 years. Oxford Networks of Lewiston has also begun taking advantage of internship opportunities. Internships include UMA’s Administrative Services, computer information, data services, library web. Many classes have an applied project component (web site design, for instance). There will be a new class offered that includes creating a website for nonprofits. The program site for the CIS program is: http://cis.uma.edu/.
KVCC – Has internship opportunities available.
Amy Downing: Introduced the website http://www.internhelpme.com/home.asp. On this site employers and students create a workspace and search for one another. This was created last summer and there are already more than 450 students on the site and 75 employers. There are approximately 60 internships as a result. Next step is to create opportunities for employers to determine what makes a “meaningful” internship.
The UMA Public Administration Program is particularly important in the Capitol. Maine Association of non profits should be included in this conversation.
University College has a website for internships: http://learn.maine.edu/services/internships/.
The group broke out into smaller groups and reported back. Highlights include:
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES:
- Computer systems I in the health care industry are good market for interns, particularly for local physician offices who are trying to incorporate health records into the federal system.
- There is a 6 month training program to integrate software in medical offices available
- Offices can use interns with IT background. This can help the state of Maine. There are 100s of practices that need this training and help. EMR system is a struggle for many offices.
BUSISNESS:
- Construction, manufacturing and hospitals – businesses have back room processes our students could do. Associations should be contacted.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION:
- Employers need assistance in learning how to manage internships. We need to increase awareness about internships and opportunities.
KVCC
- Need to help employers. Students have objectives and employers need guidelines.
- Internships do result in jobs.
Topics most useful for future meetings:
- Workforce need
- Make Chamber members more aware of internship opportunities
FYI
Mike Duguay will be speaking at Colby College on Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 a.m. To find out more information, go to the Leadership Unplugged website: http://www.mdf.org/events/Leadership-Unplugged---Session-2/490/
