The internship program exposes local college students to modern technology.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The inaugural class of CSI Connect interns graduated on July 28, 2022, coinciding with National Intern Day. The CSI Connect internship program is a new initiative that exposes college students in underserved Jacksonville communities to professional training and hands-on experience, positioning them for lucrative jobs in the technology industry.
The program launched in May 2022 and consisted of six interns—each was paired with a mentor in the IT department based on their college discipline. They participated in various professional and leadership training related to networking, public speaking, building a brand, financial literacy, and wellness. Interns had the opportunity to concentrate on specializations within the tech industry including software development, enterprise resource planning, system administration, infrastructure, and security. The week of graduation, the interns presented their takeaways and an IT-related lesson to the CSI executives.
Brianna Moreland, CSI Connect intern earning a degree in Information Systems at the University of Northern Florida, said she enjoyed being a part of a high-caliber tech team and learning the ins and outs of a new system.
"I think the culture is a big part of why CSI is such a good place to intern, there are so many opportunities to gain knowledge, and everyone here genuinely wants you to succeed," she said.
The Connect program was birthed after CSI won RGF Staffing's CEO Challenge. Chris Flakus, CEO of CSI, and Melissa Fulmore-Hardwick, CIO, were challenged with the task to introduce a new way of doing business that closes the economic divide and celebrates diversity and inclusion. Since CSI's initiative won, the ten other RGF Staffing companies will implement the Connect model in their own organizations. The impact will increase minority representation within the IT industry on a global level. This includes companies in Amsterdam, Japan, Europe, Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
CSI plans to expand the internship and continue advocating for more diversity. The goal is to familiarize the rising generations with modern technology to dominate the Northeast Florida tech pipeline with quality talent.
Media Contact
Eva Shinavski, CSI Companies, 1 904.685.8639, [email protected]
SOURCE CSI Companies
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