Macon Economic Development funds internship program
A historic partnership intended to connect high schoolers with future employment opportunities and further economic development in Macon County has been solidified after commissioners approved funding for the Macon PULSE program this month.
“We’ve discussed the CTE program many times and I think it goes without saying the tremendous job and growth that that program has seen due to the team and what they have been able to accomplish, which is outstanding,” said Macon County Manager Derek Roland during the July 9 meeting.
For the past three years, Career and Technical Education Director Colleen Strickland has been working with her team and stakeholders at the county to develop an internship program in which students can be compensated for their work and training with local employers.
At the commissioners’ July 9 meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve the transfer of $50,000 from the Macon County Economic Development reserve fund to support the program and allow for paid internships in the coming school year.
“We’ve all been working together on this for the last three years, and we’re at the point now where we’re ready to make this next step where we have our students who have completed pathways and who have earned credentials and how they’re ready to go work alongside the employers,” Strickland told commissioners.
Macon County Schools’ Career and Technical Education department created the PULSE program — Partners United in Learning and Skills Exchange — a few years ago through its public safety classes in order to connect students with Macon County public safety professionals.
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Students have been able to do internships and work-based shadowing with EMS, the fire department and 911 dispatch.
“Everyone who’s worked with these kids has been incredibly impressed and wanted more,” said Strickland.
In the coming year, seniors who have completed two levels of CTE courses in one area of study may be eligible to work a paid internship aligned with their course of study, paid for through the transfer of money from the economic development fund. The internships require 120 hours on site in addition to an internship portfolio and a final presentation. Students will also be required to complete weekly evaluations and reflections.
“We know that the internships work, we know that a couple of our students who earned EMT certifications and who’ve been doing ridealongs and who’ve been interning with Macon County Emergency Medical have now been hired,” Strickland said during a May presentation to the commission.
The Business Advisory Committee together with the school system reviewed and approved the program prior to its consideration by the county commission.
“As we all know, I think there’s two things at play here. We lose a lot of students outside our community when they go out of town to work,” said Macon County Economic Development Director Tommy Jenkins. “This shows them that there are opportunities in our community for gainful employment and careers. It would also improve our workforce dramatically with home grown talent.”
With emergency service departments facing staff shortages across the region, there have been several efforts to try to connect interested students with local employers. Franklin High School recently teamed up with Southwestern Community College to offer courses that put students on a path to earning their EMT certification.
The Macon County Career and Technical Education program also recently graduated its first flight student who passed the pilot’s exam and was able to get hired at the Macon County Airport.
“We know that getting kids out into the workforce, working under professionals, learning the skills is successful and it helps us retain talent right here in Macon County,” Strickland said.
Students who participate in the internship program will be eligible for a $1,000 stipend now that the county has approved funding for the program.
“This is not general fund money, it comes from the Economic Development reserve fund which is for promoting economic development,” said Roland. “These programs which are putting these students right in the pipeline for the workforce, there’s no purer form of economic development than that.”
