FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER: THE VALUE OF INTERNSHIPS
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Internships are more than just short- term work experiences — they are critical bridges between education and career, helping students gain real-world skills while strengthening the local talent pipeline. To explore the value of internships from every angle, we spoke with interns, employers, and higher education leaders. Participating organizations included IBM, Knutson Construction, Hawkins Ash CPAs, Rochester Community and Technical College, University of Minnesota Rochester, and the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce. Together, their perspectives highlight how internships benefit students, businesses, and the community as a whole.
Lance Campbell, CPA, Partner, Hawkins Ash CPAs
Ryan Parsons, President, Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
First steps in implementing an internship program include identifying which field of work such as marketing, accounting, computer-aided design, or nursing would offer the most meaningful experience for students and best showcase your organization. Next, develop an outline for the internship position; resources are available online, or you can contact the Chamber to discuss ideas. Finally, connect with local higher education partners and instructors who can help facilitate student engagement—the Chamber can assist with these connections, so feel free to reach out to learn more.
Interns get real-life hands-on experiences compared to a classroom setting. They get to see what a tax season is like, and gives them a picture of what public accounting is. It is a very valuable experience for our firm as we can see the work the intern does and that can lead to getting a job position offer. If you have not offered an internship before, I would recommend working with a college nearby to see what options they have for intern programs and for you to have a plan on what tasks you will have the intern do. We also attend a lot of career fairs at colleges and that is a good way to get your name out to students and colleges.
OCTOBER 2025 — ROCHESTER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVANTAGE MAGAZINE | 5
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