PRESQUE ISLE — Officials with the Aroostook Aspirations Initiative (AAI) say 2015 will bring a new program for the organization. Thanks to a generous award from the Next Generation Foundation, AAI will start work immediately on an Aroostook Hub for Internships.
The program will work with small businesses, post-secondary institutions, and local school districts to help the internship culture continue to grow and develop in the region. A consistent platform for AAI, the funding allows the program to carry out a plan for internships that formed over the last year.
“We are so grateful to NextGen for their support in helping develop an internship program here in The County. Since finding out what a person wants to do in life is not always a straight line, internships help young people find out what they like and what they don’t like,” said Sandy Gauvin, AAI president and co-founder. “It also helps them begin networking and create professional relationships and is an effective job-search method. For employers who are looking for the best college-educated, entry-level employees, an internship program is the best way for them to build a pipeline of candidates in a very competitive market.”
According to Experience.com, “The market is so competitive that 51 percent of employers are now focusing on relevant internship experience to find the best fit for their companies. Eighty-one percent of employers have found that new hires with relevant internship experience are better prepared than those without internships.”
The Next Generation Foundation didn’t stop with the internship program. The organization also invested in AAI’s endowment, allowing Aroostook Aspirations to help more County kids as they begin and move through post-secondary education in any one of the four area institutions.
According to April Flagg, AAI’s executive director, “The investments from the Next Generation Foundation are encouraging for so many reasons.”
“We are among the youngest organizations to receive funding. We received one of the largest gifts in Aroostook County, and they chose a program especially close to the hearts of our founders, Ray and Sandy Gauvin,” said Flagg. “We are eager to begin our planning, work with businesses, and cooperate with our post-secondary partners. One of the best features of this program is that it will impact the entire Aroostook region. When we applied for this grant, we focused on programs that would benefit the whole of Aroostook, not just one or two segments of the population.”
Internship programs are picking up steam all over the country. Well-planned and coordinated programs allow students to get real-life experiences in areas of interest while building their resumes for the future. It’s also a boost for the business community. Internship programs can allow a business to train a future employee in several departments, assuring the best fit if the arrangement is a success. Interns are often eager to put what they’ve learned in classrooms to work and are an especially great resource for a small business.
For more information about AAI, to make a donation or to become a volunteer, call 760-0558 or visit www.gauvinfund.org.
