Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal Q3 2014 | Page 56

Issue Sponsor:

THE ROAD TO A SOLID CAREER

EDUCATION TO CAREER

TRANSITION
Hands-on career training plays a crucial role in a student’s
ability to successfully transition into the workforce.
This type of training, which consists of educational
coursework developed specifically to meet accreditation
requirements and community workforce needs combined
with integrated Career Services support, provides a
unique platform for student success. Businesses can
partner with colleges and contribute to student success
by hosting internships or externships, which provide
unpaid interactive career experience for students. This
experience connects students with employers in their
community and allows them to utilize and continue to
develop the skills they learned in their program. The
key to a successful externship is matching the right
student with the right employer based on the culture
of the organization. Some factors employers consider
when deciding whether or not to partner with a career
training college are the quality of the programs offered,
professionalism of the students and related job skills.
IBMC College and many other career colleges require
students to complete externships. These externships
have shorter hour requirements than internships and
focus on direct career experience with an emphasis on
hiring opportunities. This provides a unique, cost-free
benefit to employers by allowing them to work with a
candidate for an extended time with no obligation to
hire. This trial period gives the employer time to truly
assess the candidate’s fit within their company, which
is the most effective way to evaluate potential. When
employers “test drive” talent, they receive the benefits
of extra support, fresh ideas and increased productivity.

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Education: The Foundation of Our Future

Employers are recognized in the community for providing
students with opportunities for career success. If an
employer decides to hire an extern, job advertising,
recruitment and training costs may be reduced. “It is
reported that companies spend between $10,000$50,000 in tangible costs alone to replace and retrain
when a single employee leaves a company.”(1) This is
a large expense for a company of any size. Therefore,
companies can see the monetary value in participating
in internship or externship programs by reviewing costper-hire numbers alone. When deciding to become a host
for externs and interns, a business should remember
that it is one solution for company success. According
to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’
2014 Internship & Co-op Survey, 96.9% of employers
plan to hire interns/externs and 64.8% of employers
made full-time offers to their interns. Now it is your turn
to change a life and help make the workforce stronger!
Source:
1. “Current Benchmarks,” 2014 Internship & Coop Survey, National Association of Colleges and
Employers, http://naceweb.com

By: Tamara Moore

Career Services Coordinator at
IBMC College