This Summit will bring business community representatives and educators together to discuss how to increase and improve internship opportunities in Northeast Ohio through a a wide range of panels and conversations. Topics include:

Plenary Session: From Internship to Leadership: The Route to Success – Current C-suite professionals who started as an intern will discuss their experience and the importance of internship programs.

Concurrent Sessions #1

• Breakout #1: The Changing World of Work: Aligning Faculty and Employers for Student Success – A conversation with three area business leaders about how faculty and local employers can align their efforts to prepare students for lifelong career success.
• Breakout #2: Learn from the Pros: How Employers Create and Maintain Successful Internship Programs – How employers engage interns and other best practices for running a successful program.

Concurrent Sessions #2

• Breakout #1: Engaging High School Interns: Tailoring Your Program for a Positive Experience – Hear from employers who have had successful internship with high school students, how they structured their program specifically for high school students and why they think it’s valuable to have an internship program for students at a young age.
• Breakout #2: Legal Aspects of Internships: Legal Issues Employers Should be Aware Of – Internship programs can present some specific legal questions for employers — what is the legal definition of an “internship”? Is an intern an employee? This legal primer will answer these questions and more.

Plenary Lunch Session: Brain Gain Resources: Retaining Proven Talent in Our Region’s Companies – Discussion highlighting how to keep interns in the company/region after their internship is over.