FROM CLASSROOM TO CAREER: THE VALUE OF INTERNSHIPS
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Lance Campbell, CPA, Partner, Hawkins Ash CPAs
Ryan Parsons, President, Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce
It is very important for the overall success of hiring and retaining new staff. Our firm typically hires up to 25 interns for tax season and we have the ability to offer positions to some of the interns in our various offices. We have a lot of staff that started as interns within our various offices.
Internships play a key role in raising awareness of career opportunities available to students as they plan their futures. Students gain hands-on experience that better prepares them for careers in specific fields and helps them acclimate to professional environments. This includes developing essential soft skills such as time management, adaptability, teamwork, and more. These skills are critical in shaping future professionals who can contribute immediately to a team. Internships are also a valuable recruiting tool. They allow you to engage with candidates as they prepare to take the next steps in their careers and build experience along the way.
express strong interest in future employment with the company. Finally, employers benefit from offering internships. Employers should anticipate a demonstrable increase in, for example, their employees' team- work, mentorship, and industry or technical skills. This recalls the often-cited declaration -- "docendo discimus" : by teaching, we learn. Another important benefit for employers is the chance to cultivate new talent for critical need roles or entry-level jobs for the company, industry or field. Employers who invest in growing minds through internships build talent pipelines for their field, industry, or company. They build a future workforce knowledgeable about company or industry culture and ready to fill gaps in workforce needs, prepared to demonstrate excellence. It's a matter of preparation meeting opportunity!
shadows, externships, informational interviews, or career networking events. These resource-light experiences still give students valuable insights into real-world applications for career decision-making and success. Employers ready to offer internships should collaborate with faculty to design projects or skills-based assignments that help interns connect classroom learning to real-world applications. When students see the practical value of their education, their curiosity and passion for learning increase. We also encourage employers to designate professionals who can provide one-on-one mentorship through weekly or biweekly meetings. Mentors help interns integrate more quickly into team or company culture. The targeted feedback mentors provide also strengthens interns’ industry skills—many interns, for example, commit to modeling their mentors’ work ethic. Interns who receive consistent coaching and support are more likely to
OCTOBER 2025 — ROCHESTER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVANTAGE MAGAZINE | 7
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