vShips

Internships are crucial for preparing individuals for a successful future and building a sustainable workforce. But in May 2020, U.S. internship openings were 49% lower than the year prior, according to the career site Glassdoor. 

As a response, we created vShips, an initiative to help employers and employees pivot to virtual internships and save these crucial early career opportunities. We convened four webinars for employers, featuring guest speakers from across
the country; launched a resource hub; and hosted two national workshops for internship seekers.

Out of this pandemic response emerged new and ongoing partnerships, such as our collaboration with the Kansas Board of Regents, Kansas Department of Commerce, and Parker Dewey. Together, we launched the statewide Kansas Micro-Internship Program, which provides college students opportunities to work on short-term, paid, professional projects with Kansas-based organizations. Recently, the program was awarded $400,000 by Strada Education Network to advance this statewide initiative