The University of Connecticut School of Business, in conjunction with the UConn Family Business Program, is now accepting host company applications for the Summer 2009 Management & Entrepreneur Internship Program. The Management &  Entrepreneur Internship Program at the UConn School of Business is an innovative program that placesstudents in summer internships at firms looking to furthertheir initiatives in entrepreneurship, thereby providing the students with unique experiential learning opportunities and the host company with access to a core body of knowledge and skill set that will help in the completion of special projects important to the firm.  All interns are entering their final year of undergraduate study in business.

Every business today must be concerned with getting the most for the dollar while also developing innovative products or business processes to remain competitive.  In times such as these, getting special projects done quickly at a rate that is lower than full-time employees can only help to free up the time of senior managers to work more closely with vendors/customers/employees/prospects during these challenging times.  It’s the benefit of working with tomorrow’s talent – today – who can offer a fresh outlook to your business and get the job done.

In a survey released in early 2008 by CBIA, 82% of CBIA members polled have difficulty recruiting qualified labor; yet, over 60% do not take advantage of internships that may be available through the state's colleges and universities.  Further, 72% of members surveyed found increasing competition accessing top talent, and 78% believe that not being able to access young talent (aged 25-34) will have a negative impact on their company.  Like many firms across the board, the joint UConn Family Business Program & CBIA survey also found that 41% of family firms indicated that their top business challenge was a lack of qualified workers, and 65% indicated that quality management was the major contributing factor to business success.

Ever more importantly - it is important to recruit and train capable future managers who can help drive innovation and productivity.  Internship administrators work closely with host company supervisors to understand each organization's needs, challenges, vision and strategic plan in order to structure an opportunity that is most rewarding for both the student and the firm. Interns are carefully evaluated, selected and matched to meet host company needs based on the student's educational background, aptitude, diversity of experience, motivation for learning, sound judgment, communication skills and technical competence.

Interns are expected to work under the direct supervision of top management on special projects designed by the host company and approved by internship administrators. Past projects include, but are not limited to, conducting market research and competitive analysis, developing an online/web strategy, improving operational efficiency, implementing metrics to increase productivity and creating human resource and operations manuals.  Upon completion of the internships, host companies will receive a detailed plan from each intern that will discuss and explore (a) a new idea for the company that will create economic value for the host company, and (b) a plan for the company that will create social value.  Details are as follows:

• Interns with a specific interest in a corporate management leadership program or entrepreneurship are matched and placed with a host company
• Interns work for an 11-week period: May 18 to July 31, 2009
• Recommended compensation for interns is $12 - $16 per hour by the host company (depending on individual projects); and interns are required to work full-time equivalent at the host company per week
• Students must attend 5 class sessions at UConn in Storrs during the summer (May 26, June 9, June 23, July 14, July 28).  Interns are expected to be compensated for this time as interns are acquiring information to be used directly in the business to develop plans that will add economic and social value to the firm.

Student majors:  
Accounting, Business & Technology, Finance, Health Systems Management, Management, Marketing, (MIS) Management Information Systems, (MEM) Management and Engineering for Manufacturing, Real Estate, Risk Management Insurance

Quality
Among the best in the nation, the University of Connecticut has been ranked by the US News & World Report as the #1 public university in New England for seven consecutive years. UConn's School of Business, coupled with continuous accreditation since 1958 by AACSB International, is consistently ranked among the best business schools by BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, and The Princeton Review - putting it in the top 5% of business schools worldwide.



Flexibility
Interns work under the direct supervision of top management on special projects designed by the host company and approved by internship administrators. Past projects include conducting market research and competitive analysis, developing an online/web strategy, improving operational efficiency, implementing metrics to increase productivity, and creating human resource and operations manuals.



Cost Effectiveness
The Family Business Program is committed to providing Connecticut's business community with ambitious interns entering their senior year of undergraduate business study. The Internship Programs present host companies with a fresh perspective and increased productivity via interns who have access to technology and intellectual capital at a cost that is significantly lower than hiring and training staff.



True Partnering
The Family Business Program works closely with host company supervisors to understand the organization's needs, challenges, vision and strategic plan in order to best structure an opportunity that will yield outstanding results for the student and the firm. Interns are carefully evaluated, selected and matched based on host company needs and the student's aptitude, diversity of experience, motivation for learning, sound judgment, communication skills, and technical competence.