Through internships, employers across the country have increased resources to address targeted projects, implement new initiatives, or assist with ongoing needs.  Many businesses in our region, however, do not know what internship opportunities are out there and how to access them.  This grant is designed to bolster the role of internships across our region - Ontario, Yates, Seneca, and Wayne Counties.

Internship programs link academic learning with real world work experiences and can be tailored to the unique needs and interests of the learner and the employer.  This initiative targets all students enrolled at a public or private secondary and technical school who are:

• At least 16 years of age and -Either in the junior or senior year and - have not earned their highschool diploma or GED; and - must carry a GPA of at least 75 for the past 12 months

• All students enrolled at a post-secondary or technical institution that are - 16-25 years of age and- currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, and, have not yet completed an undergraduate degree.

To assure that these placements meet the needs of the student and the employer, the program will use Learning Agreements signed by the Internship Coordinator, the intern, the parent (if intern is under 18), the employer, and the school.

This Learning Agreement will describe:

• The goals and objectives of the internship, based on an assessment of the student's career interests;
• A direct link to their internship placement; and
• The roles and responsibilities of all parties concerned to meet those goals and objectives.

For those cases where the school can give academic credit to paid interns for participating in an intership, the learning agreement must specify the goals, milestones, or standards required in order for the school to award academic credit.