Intern Program

VBSR is currently setting up paid internships and matching bright, energetic students with growing VBSR member businesses.  If you are a Vermont student or a growing VBSR member business and are interested in making a connection, contact Lisa Curtis at 802-862-8347 or e-mail

THE OVERVIEW:
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) will provide internship opportunities to students at Vermont colleges and universities to ultimately find permanent jobs in Vermont after their graduation. During their junior or senior undergraduate years, or during graduate studies, these students can be involved in our innovative intern program. VBSR will match student interns with VBSR member businesses, which are planning on workforce expansion within the next three to five years. Whenever possible internships will match a student’s area of study with a member business’ area of expertise.  Interns will have the opportunity to learn real-world functioning of a business while member businesses will benefit from the work and energy of a student in a related field of study.  The state of Vermont will benefit from retention of talented people in the labor force.
The VBSR Intern Program is funded in part by the Vermont Department of Labor Workforce Education Training Fund (WETF).

THE GOAL:
The goal of this project is to create an on-going internship program as a service to VBSR members.  This program gives students the opportunity to explore career opportunities in Vermont, and also supports the fast-growing entrepreneurial economy in Vermont.

THE CONNECTION:
The Shortfall…
Small to medium sized businesses are creating the majority of new jobs in Vermont.  Yet 70% of businesses responding to a recent survey conducted by the Vermont Workforce Development Council said that they passed on opportunities to grow their companies because they lacked sufficient workforce capacity. 

The Disconnect…
Our Vermont post-secondary institutions graduate 7,000 students each year, but too many of them are leaving the state to find jobs elsewhere. 

The Solution…
VBSR’s internship program will help to partner a portion of those graduates in Vermont companies and contribute to Vermont’s economic development, while introducing students to the opportunities that exist here in Vermont.

Interested in learning all about the benefits VBSR offers students?  Check out VBSR's student member page. 

Useful Forms (.pdf files):

 For Businesses:
   
• Business Contact Sheet
• Memorandum of Understanding
• Business Intern Profile
• Position Description (Sample)
• Position Description (Blank Document)
• Supervisor’s Manual
• Intern/Business Contract & Agreement
• Intern Progress Report
 
For Interns:
   
• Intern Contact Sheet
• Intern Profile
• Internship Contract & Agreement
• Rights and Responsibilities of an Intern
• Intern Progress Report
 

For further information or questions about the intern program please contact:

Lisa Curtis
Intern Program Manager

Office: 802-862-8347
Mobile: 802-355-7461

Funding & Grant Information:
http://www.grants.gov