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From Classroom to Career: HCEDA Interns Make Their Mark

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

The Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) recently concluded its summer intern program, which provided high school and college students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in various fields. HCEDA interns were placed in departments such as Strategy, Marketing, Business Development and Innovation, where they worked on meaningful projects that contributed to the overall success of the organization. The HCEDA takes pride in offering these opportunities to help young professionals grow in their careers and thrive in a real-world business environment.

 

Diverse Projects Showcase Intern Contributions

Throughout the program, interns engaged in a wide array of projects that showcased their talents and hard work. Some of the key initiatives they contributed to include a comprehensive Research Project, organizing a Disaster Preparedness Workshop, planning the Business Resource Expo and conducting Community Events Research. In addition, interns played a pivotal role in enhancing staff engagement and analyzing HCEDA’s Instagram presence, offering new ideas and strategies to increase its impact.

 

Search engine optimization (SEO) was another critical area where interns made significant contributions. They focused on website maintenance, updating meta tags, meta descriptions and featured images, all aimed at improving the site’s search visibility. Furthermore, their analysis of newsletter metrics led to valuable improvements in communication strategies.

 

Salesforce Training and Implementation

A major highlight of the intern program was the in-depth Salesforce training. Over four weeks, interns were introduced to various aspects of the platform. In Week 1, they learned how Salesforce is utilized within the department and organization-wide. Week 2 focused on data management and analysis, where they interviewed different departments to understand their needs. Week 3 centered on process improvement and automation, leading to the implementation and presentation of their findings in Week 4. This hands-on experience provided the interns with practical skills that will be valuable in their future careers.

 

Supporting the Maryland Innovation Center

Interns also provided essential support to the Maryland Innovation Center (MIC) front desk operations. Their responsibilities included managing phones, handling mail, resetting conference rooms and preparing for Town Hall presentations. Additionally, they assisted with Salesforce data entry and inquiry tracking, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations at the center.

 

Celebrating Growth and Achievement

In the final week of the program, the interns had the opportunity to present their experiences and the outcomes of their projects to the HCEDA team. These presentations highlighted not only the interns’ growth over the course of the summer but also the meaningful contributions they made to the organization. The HCEDA values the opportunity to help high school and college students grow in their careers, providing them with the skills and experiences needed to thrive in a competitive job market.

 

The Next Generation

The HCEDA is immensely proud of the accomplishments of its interns and is excited to see how they will apply the knowledge and skills they’ve gained in their future endeavors. This program is a testament to the organization’s commitment to fostering the next generation of business leaders, offering them a platform to learn, contribute and grow. As these interns move forward in their academic and professional journeys, the HCEDA remains dedicated to supporting and empowering young talent, helping them pave the way to successful careers.

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