National Professional Science Masters Association Conference
November 14, 2013 By John Iacobucci [email protected] Commonwealth
STEM Industry Internship Program
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Virginia Space Grant Consortium The Virginia Space Grant
Consortium (VSGC) is a coalition of five Virginia colleges and
universities, NASA, state educational agencies, Virginia's Center
for Innovative Technology, and other institutions representing
diverse aerospace education and research. The VSGC offers
scholarships, fellowships, internships, teacher/faculty
professional development, student flight programs, pre-college
student programs, and informal educational programs. Visit
www.vsgc.odu.edu
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NASA Langley Research Center NASA Goddard Space Flight Centers
Wallops Flight Facility College of William and Mary Hampton
University Old Dominion University University of Virginia Virginia
Tech Virginia Community College System Virginia Department of
Education State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Math
Science Innovation Center Science Museum of Virginia Virginia Air
and Space Center Center for Innovative Technology Virginia Space
Grant Consortium
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An online brokering system matching undergraduate STEM students
to companies throughout Virginia that provide paid internship
opportunities. Affords Virginias industries with unprecedented
access to qualified interns pursuing STEM-related careers. A
conduit between budding STEM talent and an industry workforce
shortage. Seeks to keep STEM talent In Virginia! What is CSIIP?
STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics 4
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How is it Funded? The online CSIIP system is free to use for
students, companies, and colleges and universities. 6 Funding in
the Virginia biennium budget of $300K/year for the VSGC to
implement, manage, and administer the program.
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At least 18 years of age and attending a Virginia university,
college, or community college. Virginia residents attending
accredited out-of-state colleges may also apply. A full-time
undergraduate student, taking at least 12 credit hours per
semester. Must have completed at least 30 or more post-secondary
education credits and are at least at rising sophomore status prior
to the internship. Seniors graduating at the end of the semester
prior to an internship are also eligible to participate. Majoring
in a STEM related field. U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident. Must
have a GPA of at least 2.7 on a 4.0 scale. Student Eligibility
Requirements 7
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Students receive: A convenient one-application process to reach
many companies. Their application rolled over for subsequent years.
Excellent hands-on experience related to their field of study. A
Certificate of Completion signed by Governor. Companies receive:
Excellent free PR through the CSIIP: Website Link, Briefings/News
Releases, Governor & Delegates, Plaque. A large pool of quality
students to meet their internship opportunities. Opportunity to
have VSGC find an intern for them saving Companies time and effort.
Opportunity for finding/evaluating potential future full-time
employees. Benefits to Participation: 8
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Program Development 9 1. Web Site Development:
Design/Implementation Search Engine Optimization 2. Reach Out To:
Students Companies Pilot Year Lessons Learned: Reaching Out to
Companies/ Students/Making Website Adjustments
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Reaching out to students/Companies was done in parallel: o
Companies and students started applying in September. However,
companies were not allowed to begin their search until mid-
February after students were vetted. Initially, students had to
apply in good faith. Reaching out to students was primarily done
through collaboration with College/University Job Placement
Offices. Reaching out to companies was primarily done by partnering
with Virginia Technology Councils. Reaching out to
Students/Companies Pilot Year 10
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CSIIP Partners 11 All ten Virginias regional technology
councils. Virginia Manufacturers Association. Virginias Society for
Human Resource Managers. sySTEMic Solutions. Strong Support from
the Governors office, including Virginia Secretaries of Commerce
and Trade, Education, and Technology.
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Web Site Development: 12 The VSGC Designed the website. We
contracted with National Space Grant Foundation to develop the
website. Pluses: Able to use existing coding from other programs
which led to a less expensive and faster implementation. Minuses:
Program was Implemented around a completely different existing
application. Search Engine Optimization Not provided automatically.
Not provided automatically. Some features needs to be
programmed/designed in (Web page tags, key words, etc.). Some
features needs to be programmed/designed in (Web page tags, key
words, etc.). Need to setup outside links to your website! Need to
setup outside links to your website! Can pay some companies for
this service. Can pay some companies for this service.
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First year results good for pilot year. 95 companies,
throughout Virginia registered with the CSIIP. 95 companies,
throughout Virginia registered with the CSIIP. Over 187 internship
positions were posted. Over 187 internship positions were posted.
Over 500 students were prescreened and ready for internship
placement. Over 500 students were prescreened and ready for
internship placement. During the pilot year, we placed 53 interns
in paid positions with 29 companies. During the pilot year, we
placed 53 interns in paid positions with 29 companies. Issues with
companies concerned about sequestration and the economy. Issues
with companies concerned about sequestration and the economy. Pilot
Year Results: 13
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14 VSGC partnered with the IALR and NASA to produce 6 webcasts
Overall Theme: Building Skills and Exploring Workforce
Opportunities in STEM Webcasts are still available for viewing:
CSIIP Home Page under Events icon. Follow up forum and survey
Summer Forum Series 2013
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15 Summer Forum Series 2013 Alice Scott, VP Virginia
Manufacturers Association
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16 Summer Forum Series 2013 Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of
Trade and Commerce
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Student application process opened year-round. Company
registration process opened year-around. Company search/placement
process opened year-around. Not just for Summer anymore. Now, CSIIP
has options for spring, fall and summer placements. Next Steps for
2013 2014 Year: 17
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Students: Ability to designate companies they are interested in
and those companies are automatically sent their application.
Ability to not only search for internships by a specified region of
Virginia, but from any specified address as well. Ability to modify
anything in their application, even after submittal. Ability to
easily roll over the data in their application from one year to the
next. Companies: Ability to easily roll over the data in their
registration/posted internships from one year to the next. Ability
to designate multiple company contacts. In addition to other search
criteria, the ability to search for students within a specified
distance of their companys location. Enhance a Boolean search
capability in conjunction with other search criteria. Ability to
specify & save multiple student search criteria, and if any
students subsequently apply that meet these criteria, the company
is automatically notified. Web Site Enhancements for 2014 18
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More reliance on business association partners particularly
those that joined late in the program (VA SHRM, VMA, sySTEMic
Solutions) More reliance on business association partners
particularly those that joined late in the program (VA SHRM, VMA,
sySTEMic Solutions) o Email Blasts to their membership. o Posting a
news release about the CSIIP with a link to our website from
theirs. Create additional Partners (VACE, Statewide chambers of
commerce, workforce development centers, and others). Create
additional Partners (VACE, Statewide chambers of commerce,
workforce development centers, and others). Reaching out directly
to companies as well: Reaching out directly to companies as well: o
Obtain and work referrals from existing companies o Use of
OneSource (looks promising for lead generation) o Attend more job
fairs and professional meetings/conferences: Government Contractor
Steering Committees, Titans breakfast, all partner conferences,
chambers of commerce, etc. o Press releases (to more than 70
newspapers) We need to develop and maintain a close personal
relationship with participating companies. - Most Important! We
need to develop and maintain a close personal relationship with
participating companies. - Most Important! Reaching Out to
Companies Lessons Learned: 19
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We can continue rely on College/University Job placement
Centers but we need to market more directly as well: We can
continue rely on College/University Job placement Centers but we
need to market more directly as well: o Through College Career
Counselors o Through College/University Professors o Through
Student Unions o Through use of Press Releases whenever a student
is placed o By attending university/college job fairs Reaching Out
to Students Lessons Learned: 20
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Put a news release and link to our website from any and all
websites that will allow it. This includes all our partners,
Virginia Schools, and we are even working with the Governors
office. Search Engine Optimization Lessons Learned: 21 Website
Demo