Internship Coordination Strengthens with Addition of New Positions

FLAGSTAFF June 26, 2019

The community efforts of the Flagstaff Internship Network will be strengthened this fall with the addition of two staff positions at Coconino Community College and Flagstaff Unified School District.

Coconino Community College (CCC) hired a new Internship Coordinator who began work this week.  The coordinator will help the college strengthen opportunities for CCC students to gain real life experience in work-based learning opportunities with local businesses.

The Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) Governing Board at its meeting Tuesday approved a Career Exploration Coordinator position.  This new position will focus primarily on developing a work-based learning program as part of a culminating capstone experience for high school seniors in the district.  Additionally, the coordinator will collaboratively develop and implement a new career exploration framework for middle school students.

Both positions will be funded through monies awarded to both CCC and FUSD from a federal Perkins grant for vocational and technical education.

For the better part of this last year, the Flagstaff Internship Network has worked to develop a communications tool to help local businesses understand the details for hosting an intern.  Last year the team surveyed Flagstaff businesses in the advanced manufacturing sector to gather data around their understanding of work-based learning and their needs for interns.

The team is also actively working to develop a “single-point of entry” for placing high school and college students into meaningful internships.  This is where the new coordinator positions at both CCC and FUSD fit into the community supports already built by the network.

CCC and FUSD are integral partners in the Flagstaff Internship Network.

The network also has representation from the City of Flagstaff Economic Vitality Division, Coconino County Career Center, Goodwill Industries of Northern and Central Arizona, Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry, and Technology (CAVIAT), STEM City, Job Corps, Earn 2 Learn, and Northern Arizona University Career Development among others.

Stay updated on the network’s progress at the LAUNCH Flagstaff website.