A $1 million state program that seeks to place interns in Iowa businesses so they can get experience in the science, technology, engineering and math or STEM fields got off the ground this fall.
“We have 216 interns across 26 Iowa companies,” says Mark Joyce, a lobbyist for the Technology Association of Iowa. “We know there’s appetite for more.”
The Technology Association of Iowa is asking the governor and legislators to set aside another $1 million for the program next year. This year’s funding was released in September.
“And the million dollars was fully subscribed five weeks later,” Joyce says.
The STEM Internship Program is run by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Businesses that participate get $1 from the state for every $1 they pay the student intern, up to a maximum of $5000. State officials say the program’s goal is to get college students the internship experience they need to secure permanent employment once they graduate.