See Yourself in Ames

I look forward to June every year because it means meeting the 100+ interns that are spending their summer at companies here in the Ames area.  This will be the fifth year we have partnered with local companies to host a summer-long program aimed at helping students visualize their future here in Ames post-graduation.  It’s exciting to see how much talent these students have and we hope to convey to them that Ames isn’t just a great place to get a degree, but also the best choice in deciding where to start their career.  
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A highly skilled workforce is paramount to the work that we do here at the Ames Economic Development Commission.  New and rapidly growing companies in Ames and Story County are constantly looking to pull from a pool of talent to meet their increasing workforce demands. 

Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) annually supply a large number of highly skilled individuals that are looking for opportunities to start their career after graduation.  The “See Yourself in Ames” summer intern program was launched to help round out the summer experience for college students staying in the area over the summer to pick up real-life job skills.  The program broadens our workforce solutions effort to attract business and talent by specifically targeting our future workforce members.  By exposing them to different aspects of Ames aside from what they might experience just from going to school here we’re showing them that even as a young professional they can have fun.  We’re creating a comfort level so when they’re offered that full time job they already have a handle on Ames and how to get engaged within the community.   

The agenda for this summer’s program includes opportunities to network with other interns as well as professionals. The first event tonight includes a presentation from Coach Matt Campbell on leadership and teamwork.  In June we have partnered with Des Moines and will have a joint event with their interns on “building your brand.”  Later in June Adam Carroll will talk about how to successfully launch your career. In July the ISU Research Park is hosting a fun event and the program will wrap up July 26th with a presentation from Zach Mannheimer, the founder of the Des Moines Social Club on civic engagement.

If you’re interested in attending these events as an intern, employer or simply as an advocate for Ames, you can find more info at www.ameschamber.com or by calling us at 515-232-2310.

It’s important that I thank our generous sponsors who have made this series possible.  Alliant Energy, Bankers Trust, Danfoss, Global Reach, GlobalVetLINK, Kingland Systems, Kreg Tool, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Renewable Energy Group, Story County and Workiva.  We’re proud that you call Ames home and grateful that you’ve helped us showcase what a great place Ames is this summer.

-Dan Culhane, President & CEO