Ashley participates in CEIA Internship Program Development Training
Taylor Ashley, Maine Business School internship coordinator, was among 40 professionals from the U.S. and Canada who participated in the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA) Internship Program Development Training in Vail, Colorado in June 2022. The CEIA Academy training focused on topics ranging from the history of co-ops and internships, program structure, strategic approaches to foster stakeholder buy-in, curriculum development and employer relations.
“This training allowed me to network and learn best practices from my peers and seasoned professionals,” Ashley says. “I was able to share the success we’ve seen in MBS in engaging our business students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite restrictions, we were able to launch programming like resume workshops, Career Ready Games, and lunch and learns with Maine employers.”
The training is intended for professionals with one to three years of experience in the academic internship/co-op field. Ashley’s takeaways include the importance of stakeholder buy-in, developing a strategic plan that implements proven and innovative practices, and the necessity to adapt to the ever-changing landscape.
“This network is extremely supportive,” Ashley says. “It was extremely valuable to spend time intentionally exploring the value of work-integrated learning for student success and job placement with colleagues from various institutions across North America.”