Reinventing the internship

MMAC partnering with DPI to help students, businesses

The workplace is transitioning with automation changing job roles and employers taking different approaches to tackle the big issues.

These changes require new methods of preparing the next generation of talent.  

MMAC is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Regional Career Pathways initiative to provide students a new model of internship, giving high school students the chance to work with a team to create and present solutions to complex problems in the workplace through our Be the Spark: Teamship Program – a model created by District C.

The program pairs schools with businesses and benefits both. Students receive valuable experience in problem-solving and teamwork, as well as insights into the business world. Businesses receive fresh perspective into challenges impacting their organizations. Each student team consists of four students with various backgrounds, skillsets and passions.

The goal is to develop four main skills in students: analysis, design, teamwork and self-awareness.
Participation only requires a minimal time commitment from interested businesses – just five hours, which includes:

Onboarding and prep:

• Connect: Filling out an interest form and a short online conversation to gauge needs.   
• Match: When a school receives a business partner match, the organization is contacted. 
• Prep: The participating business will identify a pressing problem affecting operations.
  
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Meeting with students:

• Interview: A business representative will attend a 90-minute, student-led meeting to answer questions about the issue.
• Check-in: The business and student meet during a 60-minute online check-in, where students will present ideas and offer feedback.
• Pitch: Student teams visit their partners business for 90 minutes to pitch their solutions, answer questions and workshop ideas with organization representatives.

Teamship offers students the opportunity to practice real-world business problem solving. If you’d like to learn more, or get your business involved, click here.