Pitt Announces Business Internship Program

An initiative to create internships at local businesses for University of Pittsburgh students was announced to more than 200 business leaders during a recent membership meeting for the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence (IEE), part of Pitt’s Innovation Institute.

Vice Provost and Dean of Students Kathy Humphrey and IEE Interim Director Robert Stein introduced the new, competitive internship program, saying it is aimed at connecting many of Pitt’s 18,000 undergraduate students with internship opportunities at the thousands of local businesses connected to the IEE and its economic development partners, such as Catalyst Connection and the Pittsburgh Technology Council.

“This program will positively impact the lives of even more students and, at the same time, significantly support Pittsburgh’s economy by keeping more of our graduates employed here,” Humphrey said.

Staff members at the IEE and Pitt’s Office of Career Development and Placement Assistance have begun reaching out to the IEE-affiliated companies to offer assistance in developing and managing an effective internship program.

“As part of Pitt’s Innovation Institute, we have the resources of the entire University at our fingertips—and we are doing more than ever to leverage our organization to benefit the University’s overall economic impact,” Stein said. 

The IEE is the region’s leading business support and growth organization, providing entrepreneurial education, networking opportunities, and assistance to more than 1,000 businesses annually. The organization works with businesses large and small, from family-owned Robert Wholey & Company to large companies such as ABARTA Energy.

“Across the manufacturing companies we serve, there are a wide array of good paying, high-quality jobs available in several fields,” said Petra Mitchell, president and CEO of Catalyst Connection, an IEE-affiliated organization that helps small and mid-sized manufacturers in Southwestern Pennsylvania. “The University of Pittsburgh’s internship program will be a tremendous asset for these companies as they look to connect with bright minds who can become future employees.”