Summer is coming up, and that means warmth, lakes… and interns. We sure do love our interns. In fact, the North Dakota Department of Commerce is once again offering their Operation Intern program, which offers a 50/50 match for paid intern positions.

The program adds up to $3,000 per student with a cap of $30,000 per business for businesses who qualify. In order to qualify, businesses must be in energy, advanced manufacturing, value-added agriculture, tourism and technology-based industries.

“Operation Intern adds value because it can offer an incentive to companies to start or expand their internship and apprenticeship programs,” said Jennifer Dahl, Operation Intern Coordinator.

This is not the first time the Operation Intern program has been put into action. It began in 2007 with $600,000 appropriated for the program.

It has now reached $1,500,000 in funding, and has placed hundreds of students with companies in North Dakota (the last count was from 2013, where they were at 400 students placed in over 200 companies.)

And the internships don’t necessarily end when the fall weather sets in, either. BNI Coal has hired three students to full time positions, Packet Digital has hired 6 students into full time positions in the past 4 years, and NetWork Center Inc. hired their graphic design and marketing intern to full time one day after graduation – all through the Operation Intern program, Dahl said.

“Several student interns have also returned for a second year of participating in Operation Intern,” Dahl added.

This, of course, is the goal. To not only create a mutually beneficial program, but to build up North Dakota’s workforce long-term.

“We hope these connections will ultimately result in more young talent pursuing careers in North Dakota after college,” said Commerce Commissioner Al Anderson.

Applications for the 2015-2017 program will be accepted starting May 1^st. Funds, however, will not be available until July 1 for work performed on or after July 1.

If you’re looking to hire an intern, read more about Operation Intern here.

If you’re a student looking to get an internship this summer, check out our extensive list of 30 Fargo companies looking to hire interns.

Photos courtesy of NetWork Center Inc.