Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internships bring interest, young talent to Spencer

Seven college students recently finished up their internships in Clay County through the Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internship program this summer. Participating companies included: Noteboom Implement, Midwestern Mechanical, Inc., Cannon Moss Brygger & Associates, Eaton Corporation, Saga Communications/KICD, Crown Clinics and Northwest Bank.

Interns participated in an extensive application and interview process. Once accepted into the program, interns were thoroughly involved in the companies during a 14 week period. Local businesses, like KICD, continue to use this program each summer because of the incredible talent the student’s bring to their businesses.

“Our radio stations have participated in the Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internship Program for the last couple years,” said Kevin Tlam, Operations Manager at KICD. “This program has not only benefited our interns receiving additional job experience, but we have also benefited having very talented, future broadcasters come work for us during their internship.”

Interns also enjoy receiving on-the-job experience in Clay County because of the diverse opportunities available to young people.

“At the beginning of the summer, I started as a Sales Intern because of my experience working on my family’s farm, however as the summer progressed I was really interested in the technology side of things,” said Mitchell Wiemers, an Agriculture Assistance Technology student at South Dakota State University and an intern for Noteboom Implement through the Spencer Area Jobs Trust internship program. “My manager adjusted my internship duties to better fit my interests, so I learned a lot more and I gained really valuable experience that will help me land a job after graduation.”

Not only did Wiemers gain valuable experience, but the internship also helped him decide where he wanted to start his career after completing school.

“My family is from Spencer, so I’ve always been interested in staying close to home, but this internship helped me realize how many connections and helpful people there are in this community,” said Wiemers. “I will definitely look for jobs here in Spencer come spring time.”

The Spencer Area Jobs Trust provides support and financial resources for student internships to assist existing employers find workers with the right skills, to introduce new young people or retain existing young people in the region. The purpose of the program is to connect talented students with existing employers in Clay County and to help employers recruit and retain skilled workers. Spencer Area Jobs Trust is an organization that consists of representatives from Spencer area businesses and the Iowa Lakes Corridor.