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For the second semester in a row, the office of Experiential Learning and Career Management (ELCM) is offering a workforce traineeship program for students to develop career-readiness competencies and build their work experience before graduation.
The program, which runs as a complementary model to MU’s established credit-bearing internship program, is made possible by a partnership between ELCM and SCORE Lancaster-Lebanon, a nonprofit organization that offers training and workshops to support the growth of local small businesses. It is funded by the Lancaster County Community Foundation’s BB&T Economic Growth Fund through the fall 2018 semester. ELCM received enough funding to provide $1,155 awards for 100 student trainees over the course of the grant period, but a number of the employer hosts fund their trainee directly, which allows ELCM to stretch the grant funds to more than 100 students.
It’s a valuable partnership for both the students who choose to participate and the local employers that get to shape the young talent coming out of Millersville University. Currently, 37 students are eligible for traineeship placements in the spring semester, and 24 students have received their placements already.
Approximately 25 local employers are participating in the program including the United Way, YMCA, BCI All-Size Division, Linden Hall, Worldwide Cyclery, Engle Printing and Publishing Co., Keystone Custom Homes, Primitives by Kathy, Cargas Systems, LNP Media Group and Fulton Financial Corporation, among others.
Elizabeth Nendel, a senior business administration major, participated in the traineeship program in the fall and says it was a positive experience that gave her “many valuable skills that are transferable, both professionally and personally.” She worked for Keystone Custom Homes as an executive administrative intern.
“I knew I wanted an internship for the fall but I did not want college credit since my major did not require it,” says Nendel. “This program allowed me to apply to a non-credit internship, where I also would be getting paid if hired.”
“I was given tasks that increased my knowledge in multiple different areas,” she continues. “I also learned how to communicate in a professional office environment which will be helpful down the road. I learned a little more about what I enjoy out of a job and the areas of a company, like their culture, that I need to pay attention to when applying to positions come graduation.”
Nendel says she would recommend other MU students to apply for the program.
“There is so much to learn in the world and from others, especially people who have been in our exact footsteps before,” she says. “Even if you are doing work that is not necessarily something you see yourself doing forever, you can still learn things about yourself and build your network. These days it is mostly about who you know, so building a strong network in different industries can get you very far.”
Students from all majors who have earned 12 credits and have a 2.0 cumulative GPA are eligible to apply for this program. Participating students will receive education awards of $1,155 to serve as non-credit trainees at local Lancaster County businesses and nonprofit organization sites while serving 120 hours (8-10 hours per week) throughout the semester.
ELCM is recruiting trainees for the upcoming summer semester. If you have any questions or would like to apply, please contact Audrey Bare at audrey.bare@millersville.edu or refer to http://www.millersville.edu/elcm/traineeship/.
