Internships allow college students to put classroom learning into practice, build professional networks, and gain an edge in the talent market through direct workplace experience. With that in mind, Gov. Scott Walker has announced the launch of WisConnect, a free, 24-hour online resource at www.InternshipWisconsin.com that matches employers seeking interns with college students seeking opportunities to apply classroom knowledge and build professional networks in Wisconsin.
The mobile-responsive and user-friendly website was developed by the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to help Wisconsin employers create, market, and find the best college talent for internship opportunities in the state.
The site is open to all college students with an active .edu email address to create an account, upload their resume, and search Wisconsin internship opportunities by geography, college major, and more.
With the state’s unemployment rate at a low level of 3.1%, Walker says Wisconsin employers can help meet their workforce needs by nurturing talent today through internships. “WisConnect provides an important tool to attract and retain college students here during and after graduation, which will support a strong Wisconsin workforce in the years to come,” he states.
For employers, WisConnect’s specific features include:
- Employers with existing JobCenterofWisconsin.com profiles can use the same sign in information to access WisConnect; internship openings on JobCenterofWisconsin.com are automatically featured on WisConnect, as well, at no charge.
- Access to key resources and assets to start an internship program and post openings, including options to develop an advanced employer profile
- Searching for internship candidates by location, by major, and by key skills and competencies.
In addition, college students will have the ability to do the following:
- Access vital resources on how to search, apply, interview, and prepare for an internship position
- Search employers by company name and search internship opportunities by location
- Upload a resume and other portfolio items such as references and cover letters to market themselves to potential employers
- Future functionality to build an advanced profile by listing key skills, major(s), and be matched with potential internship opportunities through WisConnect’s state-of-the-art matching technology.
DWD is furnishing content on WisConnect in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin (UW) System, the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU), and the Wisconsin Technical College System.
