GRAND FORKS, N.D. –
The Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation in partnership with UND’s Center for Innovation launched registration for a new program called InternGF Summer Cohort Series. The program will provide students interning at Grand Forks’ companies the opportunity to network, explore the cooler culture of the region, connect with young professionals, and imagine a future for themselves in greater Grand Forks. There is no cost for interns or employers to participate this year, thanks to a grant award from the State of North Dakota’s Regional Workforce Impact Program that was announced at a March 7th press conference.
“Our partnership with the EDC on the InternGF program has been a crucial part of helping students gain hands-on experiential learning, and this is another exciting way to open doors for students at the University of North Dakota,” said UND Center for Innovation Director Amy Whitney.
The series is structured into six sessions that will be held biweekly throughout the summer of 2024. Through this experience, interns will explore Grand Forks and have a firsthand look into the region’s workforce, primary sector industries, and the assets that contribute to an excellent quality of life. Participants will tour prominent regional companies and interface and network with local leadership, peers, and industry leaders.
Each session is carefully crafted so that interns can be introduced to experiences they may not have otherwise encountered and help them become more connected to the community. Aside from industry tours, session experiences will include downtown walking tours, a volunteering day alongside the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals, art classes, and sports and recreation activities.
“Helping connect students to the Grand Forks community while they are here for college is paramount to increasing retention rates,” said EDC Director of Workforce Development, Becca Cruger. “We want them to stay in the region after graduation, and creating a network of students who know about our local employers and have experienced the great things Grand Forks has to offer will help as they make career choices after college.”
There is no cost to participate this year, thanks to the grant award from the State of North Dakota’s Regional Workforce Impact Program. Employers are encouraged to have interested summer interns fill out the registration form provided on the grandforks.org/interngf-summer website. Registration is open now and will close on May 15, 2024.
The InternGF program, under the EDC and UND Center for Innovation, seeks to boost the availability of local internships by providing companies with up to $3,500 to offset the cost of an intern’s salary. This cohort series is separate from the InternGF funding program, and participants do not have to have received InternGF funding to be eligible for the summer cohort series.
For more information about the summer cohort series or to register visit grandforks.org/interngf-summer
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