NASHVILLE, TN - October 11, 2006 - Here, at the annual meeting of the National Society for Experiential Education (10/11-14), Z University.org (ZU), a leading advocate and provider of workforce readiness solutions, introduces a free online assessment to help businesses determine whether an internship program is right for them. It also helps career services professionals to qualify employer "host sites" as viable for students to intern.
The "Internship Program Value-Feasibility Assessment," which is accessible via the ZUniversity.org homepage, takes less than five minutes to complete. The two-part questionnaire contains 20 screening questions with a rating system to gauge both the value an employer can gain from having interns and the feasibility of managing a program effectively. The questions are based on a combination of internship program best practices, value propositions, viability requirements, and insights based on Z University's unique experience and innovative endeavors.
Matthew Zinman, president of Z University.org, states that, "Internship programs create real value for all involved. Employers must assume a greater responsibility to prepare the workforce. We developed this online tool to help them assess their readiness as well as to convey how valuable student productivity can be to their fiscal."
Once respondents complete the Value-Feasibility Assessment, they submit their answers for computation and can view their value and feasibility scores immediately. The results may then be compared with each scoring table, which have four levels ranging from minimal to high value and unlikely to highly feasible. ZU also informs respondents that the assessment is designed to provide a benchmark reference and is subject to variables ranging from perceptions and attitudes of the individual respondent to current versus potential circumstances.
For example, a low feasibility score may reflect that an employer has limited structure in place to manage an internship effectively. However, this may not factor in the benefits of procuring resources, such as ZU's Intern ToolkitTM, that make internship programs more valuable to manage effectively.
Zinman adds, "We believe that small- to mid-size businesses will benefit most from adding student productivity as well as provide college students with the best practical experience. However, these businesses also lack the HR personnel and other resources to structure an internship program the right way We've developed Intern Toolkit to remove that barrier and give employers everything needed to have and manage an internship program most easily and effectively. We are trying to encourage both businesses and students to open the world of opportunity that internships create."
ZU's Intern ToolkitTM is the first and only complete resource to help employers manage internship programs. It features nearly 60 components among seven modules: Program Planning; Recruitment; Screening and Hiring; Orientation; Work Management; Performance Measurement; and, Skills Development. It is available for purchase online at www.InternToolkit.com. The contents are organized in a tabbed spiral binder and provided on a CD-ROM so users can adapt and make its many tools their own.
ABOUT Z UNIVERSITY
Z University.org (ZU), based in Newtown, PA, is a leading advocate and provider of workforce preparedness solutions with the aim to close the gaps of knowledge and experience that exist between school and work. ZU develops innovative resources for businesses to provide college students and entry-level employees with experiential education and career training to best prepare these emerging professionals to succeed all the more as they enter the workforce and beyond. Z University's ever-expanding initiatives involve continuously improving its Intern ToolkitTM program management system, developing specialized training programs for entry-level professionals, creating proprietary internship program assessment tools, formalizing a student mentoring curriculum for professionals to support career development, establishing a scholarship foundation to support merit-based student internships, and taking action as a leader in promoting experiential education.
To interview Matthew Zinman, President and Founder
Email: NewsInquiry[at]ZUniversity.org or
Call: 1-877-ZU2GROW (1-877-982-4769)