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Room:
Virtual Conference Session

Session Title: We Need an Intern: Creating Sustainable Internships in the Post-COVID-19 Era

Description: As new employees transition from the classrooms to careers, the workforce and workplace continue to change in a post-COVID-19 world. An internship experience is a critical transition for students as they develop into the future of the park and recreation profession. The pandemic had an immense impact on how employees and employers view and conduct their work, and this new perspective regarding work is quickly becoming a significant priority that cannot be ignored for the workforce’s next generation. The session will use conversations with two university educators, a park and recreation director, and attendees to develop strategies for the creation of mutually beneficial internship programs that successfully navigate modern day viewpoints regarding professional expectations, life-work balance, professionalism and flexible work environments. Discussions are designed to help attendees identify suitable responsibilities which meet the workforce’s expectations and ideas of meaningful work; new strategies for recruiting, hiring and retaining interns; and other issues related to the development of a quality, post-pandemic park and recreation internship program.

Topic(s): Career Development, Hiring, Leadership and Personnel Management, Workforce Development, 2024 Conference Theme: "Where You Belong"

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