Internships are starting to gain some significant traction in downtown Detroit, a phenomenon that promises to bring hundreds if not thousands of young people to the city this year.
Driving this growth are some major corporate stakeholders in downtown planning to offer hundreds of internships. Quicken Loans Chairman Dan Gilbert recenty announced that his company would offer 500 internships downtown this summer alone.
However, large corporations aren't the only thing driving this growth. Intern in Michigan, which was relaunched this fall, has been facilitating a number of internships with small businesses and non-profits throughout the city and across the state. Since October, more than 6,000 students, employers and student advisors have registered with the non-profit's website to find internships. There are currently more than 400 active opportunities.
"Well over 1,000 internship opportunities have been posted throughout the system," says Wendy Pittman, executive director of
Intern in Michigan. "Right now employers are gearing up for summer internships."
Intern in Michigan's staff of three people partnered with downtown-based software firm
Digerati to create the online system to connect more Michigan employers with in-state students for internships. The idea is that college graduates are more likely to land a job where they had an internship so internships could help Michigan reverse its brain drain.
"We would like to see thousands of internships in the system," Pittman says.
Source: Wendy Pittman, executive director of Intern in Michigan
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at
SEMichiganStartup.com.
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