Grant Funds WNY Internship Clearinghouse Initiative

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo Career Services has received a grant from the New York State Department of Labor to develop and coordinate Western New York internship opportunities for college students.

Working through The Research Foundation of the State University of New York, the program will create a network of collaboration among Western New York employers, connecting them with interested college students who live in or attend school in Western New York.

The goal is to stem the brain drain from New York State, and in particular from Western New York, by providing a new online resource for employers to post internship opportunities and for students to view them. BuffaloInterns.com will go live this fall as a premier resource for this program.

"This exciting project will be one more important step in helping to bridge the gap between local employers who are actively looking for talent, and the students who have the misperception that there are no good jobs here," said Dan Ryan, director of UB Career Services. "The Department of Labor and the university have been active collaborators on other initiatives in the past, including the very successful annual Jobsapalooza job fair. This partnership will continue the concerted effort to help meet the workforce development needs of the community."

The program will be under the supervision of Christine Demcie, UB internship clearinghouse coordinator.

"Our program goals are significant but reachable," Demcie said. "Our plan is to reach out to students and businesses throughout the area to encourage participation. Students want to get paid for quality experiential learning opportunities and employers want to develop a talent pipeline to hire college graduates. This program represents a true 'win-win' for all the parties involved."

For further information on the program, including how organizations may share an internship, contact Christine Demcie at 716-645-2231.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.