Contributed photoPRESQUE ISLE — The Aroostook Aspirations Initiative is currently seeking college students interested in completing internships in northern Maine.
The Internship Hub of Aroostook works to place interns year round, based on their skills and the needs of employers in a variety of fields. The program offers both for-credit and not-for-credit internships, flexible working schedules, and follows the goals and objectives of the intern.
While many students know that internships are a way to enhance their resumes, other benefits include real work experience and the opportunity to see what a career path will actually look like prior to entering the workforce.
“Internships are also a great way for students to get their foot in the door of local businesses and can lead to full-time employment opportunities,” said Jordyn Madore, internship coordinator for AAI. “Providing these opportunities to students locally will allow more opportunities for students to stay in Aroostook County after graduation.”
Madore said increasing the region’s skilled workforce is one of the goals of the Internship Hub, with the hope that increasing the flow of qualified applicants into the job market will help boost the region’s economy.
“Students choosing to participate in professional development opportunities like internships in Aroostook County have insight to the needs of the local employers and how they can best meet those needs,” she said. “They also develop a stronger tie to the area, adding to the economic growth of the region.”
By creating customized internship experiences based on the academic requirements and professional interests of students, IHA aims to showcase employers and the many job opportunities available in northern Maine.
“The Internship Hub of Aroostook is a fantastic program that I was fortunate enough to be a part of last semester,” said Amanda Allen, intern with Pineland Farms Potato Company. “My internship was very beneficial to me for a number of reasons. It gave me a great opportunity to gain work experience in my field of study, provided a paid internship experience that worked around my schedule, and Pineland Farms offered me a position at the end of my placement.”
The IHA program has partnered with Louisiana Pacific, Pineland Farms Potato Company, Northeast Packaging Company and several other employers all over the region to provide internship opportunities to college students statewide.
Students from Northern Maine Community College, the University of Maine at Presque Isle, the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Husson University and Thomas College have taken advantage of the program, and the hub is working with other colleges and universities throughout the state to provide more internship opportunities to their students.
For more information about internships, call Madore at (207) 760-0558 or visit www.gauvinfund.org.
