New Website and Program Help Businesses Employ Interns

Louisville, Ky. (Feb. 12, 2010) – Greater Louisville Inc. – The Metro Chamber of Commerce and the HIRE Education Forum today launched a new program aimed at closing the gap between companies in need of fresh talent and interns looking to gain career experience. Intern To Earn aims to develop the talent pool necessary to meet future regional workforce needs, and connect the next generation of talent to the Greater Louisville community.

“We know filling the high-skilled, high-paying jobs of tomorrow requires developing a dynamic, diverse pool of talent today,” said Joe Reagan, President and CEO of Greater Louisville Inc. “Internships can help us connect the next generation of talent to our region, all while helping local companies find new ways to meet their current workforce needs.”
“Our regional colleges and universities are teeming with the future talent businesses need to succeed – especially in new-economy industries,” said Gale Rhodes, Associate University Provost for the University of Louisville, and Larry Mand, Interim Chief Information Officer for Indiana University Southeast, co-chairs of HIRE. “By connecting student talent with businesses, we can support our regional economy and help retain the best and the brightest in our community.”

The Intern To Earn program and website (www.InternToEarn.com) offer a range of services for businesses and students, including internship development workshops, support for businesses with new and existing internship programs, a comprehensive database of internship openings, intern connection events and professional networking opportunities, and online tools and resources for businesses and students.

Companies interested in developing internship programs, strengthening existing programs, and showcasing internship positions to the nearly 50,000 college students living in the Louisville area can engage by:

• Attending free regional workshops on developing and executing an internship program. Call (502) 625-0019 for upcoming dates and locations.
• Visiting www.InternToEarn.com to download free employer resources, including an internship program toolkit.
• Posting spring, summer and fall internships at no cost on the Intern To Earn website: www.InternToEarn.com.

Intern To Earn is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through a WIRED65 grant. In 2008, WIRED65 and leaders in Metro Louisville studied the workforce attraction and development needs of the 26-county region in terms of talent, innovation and quality of place. Internships were identified as an important component to a strong workforce capable of developing and retaining new-economy jobs.

Businesses interested in learning more about the Intern To Earn program can contact Myra Campbell at (502) 625-0019 or MCampbell@GreaterLouisville.com.

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About Greater Louisville Inc.
The mission of Greater Louisville Inc. is to provide leadership on initiatives that impact the success of our members and contribute to the prosperity of our entire community. For more information, visit www.GreaterLouisville.com.

About HIRE Education Forum
The HIRE (Higher Income Requires Education) Education Forum is an alliance of 31 colleges and universities in the Greater Louisville region. The Forum works collaboratively to unite the region’s post-secondary community to respond to economic development challenges through academia-business partnerships and increasing degree attainment. For more information, visit www.GreaterLouisville.com/HIRE.