by Julie Tuggle-Nguyen
Summer is almost here, and with it comes intern season — a golden opportunity for businesses to tap into fresh talent and build future pipelines. Whether you’re launching a summer internship program for the first time or refining an existing one, the investment you make today can pay dividends for years to come.
Let’s explore how summer intern programs can strengthen your team and your business — and how to run them effectively.
Why Summer Intern Programs Matter for Small Businesses
Internship programs aren’t just for big corporations. In fact, small businesses can benefit tremendously from well-structured summer intern programs. Here’s how:
1. Build a Pipeline for Future Talent
Think of your intern program as a long-term recruiting strategy. When done well, it becomes a feeder system for future full-time employees. Interns already familiar with your organization’s culture and systems can be onboard more quickly when they return after graduation.
2. Boost Brand Visibility
Your presence on college campuses matters. Attending internship fairs and participating in student development events like mock interviews and resume workshops gets your company name in front of potential future employees — many of whom may not have considered your business otherwise.
3. Develop Leadership Skills Internally
Having your current employees mentor interns or lead intern projects gives them a chance to build and demonstrate leadership capabilities in a meaningful, low-risk environment.
4. Gain Fresh Perspectives and Skills
Interns bring with them the latest knowledge and tech tools from their coursework. Whether it’s social media trends, data analytics, or coding languages, they offer a low-cost way to infuse your organization with new ideas and approaches.
5. Enhance Company Culture
Interns inject energy, curiosity, and fresh enthusiasm into your team. They often challenge “the way we’ve always done it” in healthy ways that foster innovation.
Best Practices for Running a Successful Intern Program
Great intern experiences require planning, collaboration, and intention. Here’s how to create an intern program that benefits both your business and your interns:
- Start planning early. At Midwest BankCentre, we begin our intern cycle in the fall by visiting universities where we’ve had hiring success, conduct interviews over the winter, and send acceptance letters out in the spring.
- Identify internal needs. Talk with team leaders to identify meaningful projects that an intern could complete during the summer. Align the intern’s work with business priorities — not just busywork — so their contributions matter.
- Offer individual and group work. Group projects foster collaboration and cross-functional learning. At the Bank, we bring all of our interns together one day a week to work on a group project, which they present to the executive team at the end of the program.
- Provide professional development. Consider hosting sessions on skills like resume writing, LinkedIn branding, workplace communication, and personal finance. Include opportunities for professional headshots, off-site team building, and networking with leaders to round out the experience.
- Make it fun and rewarding. Interns are more likely to return — or refer others — if the program is not only educational but enjoyable. Celebrate milestones, share feedback regularly, and make interns feel like part of the team.
- Track and convert. At the end of the summer, evaluate each intern’s performance and potential. Keep in touch with standout interns and build a pathway for them to return post-graduation.
A Smart Investment for Any Size Team
You don’t have to run a large operation to build an effective internship program. You control the cost, structure, and scope. What matters most is offering a meaningful experience for the intern that aligns with your company’s mission.
At Midwest BankCentre, we’re now four years into our program. We’ve built strong relationships on campuses and successfully converted several interns into full-time team members. The results speak for themselves: stronger talent pipelines, more engaged employees, and a reputation as an employer that invests in the future.
Now’s the time to plan. If you don’t yet have a program, use this summer to design one for next year. If you already host interns, think about how to improve the experience for everyone. With a bit of effort, summer interns can become one of your best strategic assets.
Julie Tuggle-Nguyen is Chief Human Resources Officer at Midwest BankCentre.