Information Technology and Business Education in Rhode Island Meaningful Information Systems Internships

Internships play an important role within education by providing on-the-job experiences to students prior to graduation. The consensus in the literature is that meaningful internships should be based upon formal learning objectives. However, shortage of information systems workers, especially in rural areas as well as those smaller and start-up companies which have difficulty competing with larger and more-established companies in metropolitan areas, often has resulted in a blurring of the distinction between internships and part-time jobs. Hence, the nature of the internship looses its meaning to employer, intern and school. Forging a thorough, more aggressive plan for information system internships requires considerable effort. Yet such a plan can result in meaningful internships that lead to part-time apprenticeships during college, and full-time post-graduation employment, hence overcoming shortages of information systems workers. This paper presents such a proactive plan successfully implemented by far-sighted enterprises