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The ����ֱ�� Intern Connect () establishes a mutually beneficial relationship for both students looking for jobs and employers who are looking to hire. 

UM System Partners with ����ֱ�� Chamber to create ����ֱ�� Intern Connect Program

Each year, thousands of people attend college to learn skills that will empower them as they enter the workforce. Internships are a key part of the training experience, and allow students to gain the real world skills that employers demand. But too often, there is a gap between connecting internship-seeking students and interested employers.

To bridge this gap, the ����ֱ�� Chamber of Commerce and Industry (����ֱ�� Chamber) partnered with the University of ����ֱ�� System (UM System) and MU Extension to create the ����ֱ�� Intern Connect program.

The website –www.mointernconnect.com—establishes a mutually beneficial relationship for both students looking for jobs and employers who are looking to hire. The site allows students to post their resumés and apply for internships that they are interested in, whereas businesses can recruit qualified applicants who are registered on the site.

The ����ֱ�� Intern Connect program makes it easy for employers to post their job listing within the site. When looking for a Concert Series intern, Director of the ����ֱ�� Symphony Trent Rash decided to use the site for the first time.

“����ֱ�� Intern Connect was easier to use than other job sites,” Rash said. “The website was more helpful than others, and it had a cleaner design. When I made my account and posted the listing some intern candidates popped up, which made it convenient.”

Students use their profile on the website to search for internships based on their interests, abilities and location. If students do not find the right match while searching, their profile can still be seen later by employers looking for a new hire at their company.

Currently, ����ֱ�� business owners do not have a positive outlook on jobs in the state. According to a ����ֱ�� Chamber Foundation sponsored Gallup poll , only 30 percent of ����ֱ�� business owners agree that ����ֱ�� is able to attract and retain top talent. State politicians are dedicated to keeping workers in ����ֱ��, and Governor Mike Parson is dedicated to training ����ֱ��’s workforce for high demand jobs and keeping workers in ����ֱ��.

In accordance with the Governor’s initiatives, the ����ֱ�� Chamber developed a 15-year strategic initiative called ����ֱ�� 2030. The goal of this initiative is to position ����ֱ�� as a future global economic leader. This program gives students a powerful networking tool to connect with employers in the state, and is also supported by the ����ֱ�� Department of Higher Education, Union Pacific Railroad, and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PHRMA).

With this tool, the ����ֱ�� Chamber and the UM System have given residents an easy-to-use platform that connects them with jobs, in hopes that they gain skills needed by ����ֱ�� employers and successfully find long-term employment in the state. Partnering with a program that not only cultivates opportunities for students, but also boosts the state’s workforce, aligns perfectly with the mission of the UM System.