SciTechsperience connects college students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines with paid internships that provide rewarding hands-on experience in small to mid-sized Minnesota businesses.
Objectives:
- Develop Minnesota’s STEM workforce by providing hands-on learning opportunities to talented college students in dynamic Minnesota STEM industries.
- Keep talented STEM students in Minnesota after they graduate in order to strengthen and advance Minnesota’s knowledge-based economy.
Benefits:
- Businesses receive a dollar-for-dollar cash match for up to 50% of the intern’s wages ($2,500 max), providing a low-cost solution for small and medium-sized companies that otherwise would not have access to qualified interns.
- Enables employers to find future employees, increase productivity and revitalize an organization with fresh perspectives and specialized skill sets.
- Provides students with valuable insight into industry and the professional, hands-on experience necessary to secure a job their field after graduation.
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Learn More:
If you’re a company seeking an intern or a college student looking for meaningful work, click here to learn more about SciTechsperience. You can also register for an upcoming webinar on February 16
Background:
Minnesota is going to need 188,000 skilled workers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) by 2018 in order to keep up with retiring baby boomers and new technologies.1 Our state must be proactive in attracting and retaining not only STEM workers, but also high tech companies and the high-quality jobs they provide. SciTechsperience was created in 2011 and launched in 2012 to address Minnesota’s STEM workforce needs. Since the launch of the pilot, the SciTechsperience program has helped 380 students find paid internships in small to medium-sized Minnesota science and technology companies. In 2015, the Minnesota legislature invested $2 million in SciTechsperience to build and retain the state’s STEM workforce. This funding nearly doubles the number of interns SciTechsperience will place over the next two years, with support for at least 450 internships in 2016-2017.
