Our Program

The INTERalliance INTERn Program is one of the longest running, most respected IT INTERnships programs in the state of Ohio. Over 10-weeks, high school students are engaged in real-world projects and hands-on mentoring to discover what an IT role in Cincinnati’s top organizations looks like. This is the start of the INTERalliance employment pipeline that can, and does, fill the IT talent gap in Greater Cincinnati.

Logistics

1. ADMINISTRATION: Organizations sign the INTERalliance Master Service Agreement. Students are employed by INTERalliance. All admin tasks, onboarding, and HR concerns will be handled through the INTERalliance Office.
2. PAYROLL: Students are paid bi-weekly, based on hours logged and approved through the INTERalliance process. Once submitted, the placement organization will review and approve hours for payment.
3. INTERN FEES: INTERalliance has a fee added on each hourly wage to help cover the cost of onboarding, payroll tax, payroll processing, training, and administration.
4. STUDENT TRAINING: INTERns receive training from email etiquette to mock interviews to specific technical skills. To be eligible for an INTERnship, students must have an approved LinkedIn profile and resume.

The Process

1. Organizations create and submit job postings for approval.
2. Approved postings are sent to all eligible students.
3. Students apply for the postings that they are interested in.
4. You interview candidates.
5. You select and report to IA the candidates you are interested in.
6. Students accept or reject the offers.
7. Selected students are onboarded and trained by IA
8. Students start their amazing experiences with your organization!

Be Structured

There are many different ways to enhance your organization with an INTERalliance INTERn. Options may include creating a team of INTERns (of all levels) or adding one or more INTERns into an existing team. The most important thing is that the INTERn gets to work on meaningful tasks. Bonus Advice: INTERalliance recommends that an INTERn is engaged within a team versus working completely independently. The best feedback is from students who can work with High School INTERns, College INTERns, and Business Professionals.

Be Attentive

Finding the right support structure for your INTERn is important for them to feel like they are part of the team. Remember, these students are incredibly impressive, but they will have questions throughout the INTERnship. Setting them up with a mentor or a team of mentors to help answer these questions can aid in helping them be productive much faster than figuring it out alone. Bonus Advice: Your employees get a chance to make a difference in the life of a future technologist! Select someone personable, easy to talk to, knowledgeable in their area, and knows the organization well.

Be Deliberate

INTERalliance INTERns will be working within an organization for ten weeks. During this time they are going to take in mounds of information, and not all of this information is technical. This is a great time for the organization to show off the amazing parts of their culture. Highlight what it takes to excel within the organization and what makes it so amazing to work for! Bonus Advice: Some organizations create INTERn specific activities such as tours or Senior Leader Lunches. The INTERns love these as they get the chance to meet other INTERns and see part of the organization that they may not otherwise get to experience.

Be Flexible

Every INTERnship is a little different and what works for one organization may not be perfect for another. As you participate, INTERalliance will poll both your student and your management for feedback and concerns. Be prepared to review the data and make adjustments as needed. Bonus Advice: Engage with INTERalliance throughout the INTERn Season to meet with other organizations to learn from their feedback as well.

1. DETERMINE YOUR INTERn ENGAGEMENT: Decide how many INTERns make sense for your organization, how they will be structured, and what they will work on.
2. COMPILE THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS: Write it up! INTERalliance does not require a standard job description because it is important to represent the organization in the posting. Some are very detailed and some are vague, however, INTERalliance does require a few important attributes: Location of the role, number of positions, age requirements if any. Some organizations require students to be a US Citizen, a drug test, or a background check. If any of these items are required we also like to include this information.
3. PREPARE THE TEAM: INTERalliance will train your team on how to engage your INTERn if needed. Make it a great experience for everyone involved.
4. CONTACT US: If you’re interested in taking on INTERalliance Interns in Summer 2025, please fill out our Employer Interest Form for more information.