This year on National Intern Day, Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) reflects back on current and former interns while encouraging other regional employers to consider hosting interns to advance their everyday work.
Historically, CEDRR hosted one intern per semester. However, this past spring CEDRR expanded their internship opportunities by adding an additional opening for a student from Castleton University to help with the Regional Marketing Initiative – Real Rutland – by traveling throughout Rutland County to develop new photography and videography assets. Maxwell Ingison, a senior at Castleton University exceeded all expectations as the first Regional Marketing Intern by developing new photography and a full 14-minute video to highlight the region for prospective residents with a goal to highlight that Rutland County is a great place to live, work, and play.
After the success of having a Regional Marketing Intern, CEDRR was thrilled to welcome Luke McGee for the summer to continue the work of generating new content for the Regional Marketing Initiative. Entering his junior year at Castleton University this fall, Luke is bringing new energy and passion into the work of CEDRR while growing the list of assets available for the campaign exponentially. Luke is currently working to capture a wide variety of cultural assets in our region such as Pizza in the Meadow at Naga Bakehouse and the upcoming Parade of Heroes + Community Celebration on August 28.
CEDRR also hosts one intern to oversee the Career Hub each semester. This past spring Casey Moon, another senior from Castleton University, joined CEDRR to work specifically on this effort. The work Casey conducted to maintain the Career Hub was vital to both local employers and current job seekers. The Career Hub is also a great asset for those not from the area who may be considering a move to Rutland County. Through this effort, Casey was able to work first-hand with regional employers, creating a broad network for himself as he prepared for graduation this past May.
Prior to Casey, students continuously brought new energy, creativity, and a strong work ethic to the organization (Rutland Economic Development Corporation and Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce at the time), including Brooke Rubright, Katie Saunders, Nate Hinson, Abigail Fowler, Joshua Lake, Chris Manjuck, Emma Blaiklock, and Vanessa Robertson – all now graduates of Castleton University, several of which have entered the local workforce as a direct result of their work as an intern. The work that each of these students brought to the table was instrumental in CEDRR’s ongoing efforts.
CEDRR understands and appreciates the value of internships from both the employer and student perspectives. Last fall, CEDRR and Castleton University announced a newly developed partnership with an eye toward enhancing internship and career opportunities throughout the region. Students with valuable internship opportunities can gain critical work experience and are more likely to stay in the region. Employers are also benefiting from the creative talents of the students, and in many cases hire them directly post-graduation.
Former intern, Brooke Rubright, serves as a prime example of the success of internships. Brooke, a senior at Castleton University studying graphic design and media and communications, started as an intern for CEDRR (Rutland Economic Development Corporation at the time) in 2019. In September of 2020, she was officially hired on staff part-time and later became full-time after graduation in May. She is now CEDRR’s Outreach Coordinator. Brooke works to develop the bi-weekly newsletter, maintains the website, conducts member outreach, assists with the Regional Marketing Initiative, and much more.
CEDRR is committed to providing internship opportunities for students and working with employers to understand the benefits of interns in the workplace. Today in celebration of National Intern Day, CEDRR staff shares their appreciation of former and current interns, thanks employers hosting interns locally, and encourages other employers to do the same.
