MADISON, Wis. (WSAU) — State officials are trying to make it easier for Wisconsin businesses to reach global markets with internships.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is offering grants to companies that hire or create international internship positions next year. Communications Manager Elizabeth Geib says they’re looking for companies working in overseas markets that want to keep growing their international profile. “Any Wisconsin company throughout the state is welcome to apply. And the internships can actually be located within Wisconsin or a foreign office of a Wisconsin based company.” Officials at WEDC say that’s important because companies that make sales internationally grow at the double the rate of domestic only operations.
The program offers $4,000 matching grants to companies for each intern they place through the program next year. Geib says they’re working with the existing International Internship Program at UW-Madison to help find these students. “They’re already placing a lot of students in international internships, so they’re used to working on the logistics of something like this. This is only the second year of this program and we’re really still getting it off the ground.” Each participating company can host up to two interns.
Geib says they’re looking for companies with under 500 employees for the program. “We’re really trying to help out our small and mid-size companies here in Wisconsin. Preference is also given to Wisconsin’s Driver industries including advanced manufacturing; aerospace; bioscience; energy, power and control; food and beverage; and water technology.” She says businesses that are larger than that don’t really needs the state’s help to expand their internship programs.
Anyone who’s interested in the program can contact the UW-IIP program to sign up and get their company in the running for that assistance. Applications are due September 30th.
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