Many college students are opting to spend the summer on the job. Not only are they gaining experience, they're also test driving a possible career.
Never has that been more important.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.4 million workers left their jobs in April. As the "Great Resignation" continues, companies are looking at interns as potential future employees.
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At Pioneer Bank, executives are boosting interest with weekly professional development workshops, where interns get a chance to hear directly from company leaders.
"We’ve got a great group of students this year from a variety of colleges and they’re working in every aspect of the bank," says Pat Hughes, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Pioneer.
With 17 undergraduate, law school and MBA students, this is Pioneer’s largest internship class ever. Even with so many students, the bank is prioritizing workshops and leadership interaction.
"It not only makes you feel like the job you do is important, you’re just also getting that knowledge from somewhere that’s more accessible that you wouldn’t necessarily be able to do that with a lot of other jobs.," says Ryan Eagan, a Siena College student and current Pioneer intern.
Pioneer says a successful internship program would lead to job offers. In the current market, college students have more power than ever to pick where they want to work after graduation.
Susan Hollister, the chief human resources officer at Pioneer, believes it's important for companies to be looking for potential growth.
"It’s very much embedded in our culture, in the way we operate the organization, in that we are always building for the future," says Hollister.