MARTINSVILLE, VA – The State Council of Higher Education in Virginia has agreed to fund a new initiative that will increase Patrick Henry Community College students’ opportunities for and access to internships.
The funding will come from a grant offered by SCHEV through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund.
With the funding, PHCC says it hopes to integrate work-based learning into more campus programs and to create a campus hub where students can connect with the local businesses that are offering internship opportunities.
According to the proposal approved by SCHEV, the college’s first step will be to create the PHCC Worked-Based Learning Task Force which will bring together college representatives and community members to jointly create the college’s plan for developing work-based learning opportunities.
The task force will conduct surveys and focus groups to gauge the needs of both employers and students as a basis for their plan.
The next step will be to identify pathways students can follow that will enable them to seamlessly integrate a work-based learning opportunity into their program of study.
College officials say that these opportunities help students gain the skills required to embark upon their selected career path.
“We want all of our students as ready for the workplace as possible,” said Rhonda Hodges, Vice President of Workforce Economic and Community Development. “Ultimately, we are trying to integrate work-based learning into as many programs as we can. Our aim is to make PHCC a national leader in workplace readiness.”
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