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By Maggie Thurber | Special to Ohio Watchdog
Ohio Third Frontier Internship Program distributed $3 million in grants to businesses and chambers of commerce statewide.
COLUMBUS — The Ohio Third Frontier Internship Program has been renewed for 2012 with $3 million in grants to regional workforce partners.
The internship program, begun in 2002 by the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, offers technology-based opportunities to students at Ohio colleges and technical schools. Its goal is to “help Ohio expand its technologically proficient workforce and retain knowledgeable and talented students in the state by creating potential employment opportunities following graduation.”
“The investments will allow hundreds of Ohio students the opportunity to kick-start their careers with valuable internships while providing Ohio businesses with the fresh talent they need to fill high skill-level jobs,” said Christiane Schmenk, director of the Ohio Department of Development and commission chairwoman.
The internship program allows companies access to a database of college internship candidates and will match the cost of employing these students by providing as much as 50 percent of their internship salaries — up to $3,000 — for a year, according to ODOD.
Grants of $428,571 were awarding to the following to implement internship programs in their regions:
- Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber in Hamilton County;
- Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce in Montgomery County;
- TechColumbus in Columbus in Franklin County;
- Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce in Lucas County;
- Workforce Initiative Association in Canton in Stark County;
- Workforce Institute of Lorain County in Elyria.
In addition, Southeastern Ohio Port Authority in Marietta in Washington County received $239,574, and Community Action Organization of Scioto County Inc. in Portsmouth received $189,000.
