Harvest Foundation Summer Internship Program

Funded Organization: Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation

Geographic Scope: Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia

Purpose: Develop a summer internship program to build workforce pipeline, attract young professionals to the region, and create recruitment opportunities for local businesses.

Program Overview

• One-year pilot program (2020)
• Aimed to recruit at least 15 companies to participate
• Target interns from area colleges and universities
• Focus on competitive internships and talent development

Internship Support

• Employer Contribution: $1,000 per intern
• Grant Match: $3,000 per intern
• Housing: Summer housing component for non-local interns through partnership with Carlisle School
• Professional Development: Participation in Disney's Approach to Leadership Excellence Capstone Program
• Community Engagement: Opportunities for community service and civic participation

Program Components

• Internship coordinator position
• Job description development with employers
• Site visit monitoring
• Employer selection input
• Evaluation component to measure success
• Primary goal: eventual full-time hiring of interns

Recruitment

• Campus job fair visits at area colleges and universities
• Heavy social media promotion
• Employer partnerships for job matching

Contact Information

Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation

• Address: 191 Fayette St., Third Floor, PO Box 631, Martinsville, Virginia 24114
• Phone: (276) 403-5940
• Website: yesmartinsville.com

Harvest Foundation Program Officer: DeWitt House, Senior Program Officer

Application Process (for Participating Employers)

1. Company Registration
   • Express interest in participating as internship employer
   • Commit to providing internship position(s)
   • Agree to $1,000 contribution per intern
2. Job Description Development
   • Work with internship coordinator to develop position descriptions
   • Specify internship focus areas and responsibilities
   • Outline learning objectives
3. Intern Selection
   • Provide input on candidate selection
   • Review applications from candidates
   • Interview and select interns
4. Program Participation
   • Participate in site visit monitoring
   • Provide feedback on intern performance
   • Monitor progress toward potential hiring

Support for Interns

• Internship coordinator placement
• Professional training through Disney Institute program
• Community engagement opportunities
• Housing arrangements (if applicable)
• Performance evaluation and feedback

Evaluation

• Regular progress monitoring
• Success metrics for interns and employers
• Focus on conversion to full-time employment
• Program assessment for continuation/expansion