Unlock Your Potential: Internships in Des Moines, Iowa

Greater Des Moines (DSM) is a vibrant and rapidly growing area that offers a wealth of opportunities for students and young professionals seeking to launch their careers. Recognized as a top hiring market for new college graduates (CNBC) and a top five location for young professionals (Forbes), DSM provides an ideal environment to gain valuable experience through internships. This article explores the diverse internship landscape in Des Moines, highlighting key industries, unique programs, and the overall experience of living and working in this dynamic city.

A Launchpad for Your Career

Internships in DSM serve as a launchpad for building a fulfilling career. The region boasts a diverse economy with opportunities in key industries such as:

Advanced Manufacturing
Ag Innovation
Finance
Insurance
Technology
Logistics

These industries offer a wide array of internship positions, allowing students to explore their interests and develop valuable skills.

Unique Internship Programs in Greater Des Moines

Greater Des Moines offers unique internship programs designed to enhance the on-the-job experience. These programs provide interns with networking opportunities, professional development, and a chance to connect with the local community.

DSM Intern Connection

The DSM Intern Connection is a networking and professional development program open to all interns in the Greater Des Moines area. This program provides interns with opportunities to connect with other interns, local business leaders, and community members.

Yurtern

The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce hosts Yurtern, a summer program that provides interns with networking and professional development opportunities.

Leadership Iowa University

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry hosts Leadership Iowa University, a weeklong summer program for Iowa college students designed to educate, inspire, and develop young leaders as the foundation for Iowa’s future economic growth.

Beyond the Workplace: Experiencing Life in DSM

An internship in DSM is more than just a job; it's an opportunity to experience a vibrant city and build a life. Des Moines offers a high quality of life with a variety of attractions and activities:

World-class arts and entertainment: DSM boasts a thriving arts and culture scene, with museums, theaters, and live music venues.
One-of-a-kind events: Throughout the year, DSM hosts a variety of unique events, including festivals, concerts, and sporting events.
A diverse food scene: From spicy to sweet, the Des Moines food scene is incredibly diverse, offering everything from fine dining to casual eateries.
Outdoor recreation: With over 800 miles of trails, kayaking, and hiking opportunities, DSM is a hidden gem for outdoor enthusiasts.

Internships in Public History and Political Research

The Department of History recommends an internship as elective credit for the major. Internships range widely, according to the interests of the students. Many internships are related in some way to public history, and have seen students working at Living History Farms, the State Historical Society of Iowa, and other local historical organizations. Some are geared more to students who have an interest in political research and have included working in various ways at the State Capitol. The work requirements of an internship will be decided between the student, the faculty adviser and the on-site supervisor, but tend to include at least 100 on-site hours, maintaining an activity log, and meeting regularly with their on-site supervisor.

Iowa Student Internship Program

The Iowa Student Internship Program provides grant awards to small and medium-sized Iowa businesses to help grow and support student internship opportunities in targeted industries - with a goal of transitioning student interns to full-time employment in Iowa upon graduation. Eligible employers may qualify for awards up to $9,300 per fiscal year. Funds are paid out on a reimbursement basis.

Read also: Unlock summer legal internships

Export Internships

Through this program, companies can hire students to serve as export interns supporting their current or prospective international export efforts. Resources are available through the universities to assist employers in finding qualified interns, to support the student during the export internship, and to assist companies in exporting.

Employer Eligibility for the Iowa Student Internship Program

To qualify for the Iowa Student Internship Program, businesses must meet the following criteria:

Be engaged in a targeted industry: bioscience, advanced manufacturing, or information technology.
Employ 500 or fewer employees where a significant portion are employed within Iowa.
Pay intern(s) at least twice the minimum hourly wage or more (minimum $14.50/hour).
Offer internship(s) to students who meet the outlined eligibility requirements.
Offer summer and/or semester internships.
- Summer internship(s) are a minimum of eight weeks (averaging no less than 30 hours per week).
- Semester internship(s) are a minimum of 14 weeks (averaging no less than 10 hours per week).
Internships are substantive experiences in one or more of the following areas: research and development, engineering, process management and production, product experimentation and analysis, product development, market research, exporting, business planning or administration.

Employer Ineligibility for the Iowa Student Internship Program

Businesses are ineligible for the Iowa Student Internship Program if they:

Are engaged in retail sales and/or providing health services.
Have closed or substantially reduced their company's workforce by more than 20 percent at existing operations in order to relocate substantially the same operations to another area of the state.

The Importance of Internships

Internships play a key role in career exploration. In addition to giving students the opportunity to dive headfirst into the working world, they allow employers to build connections with prospective employees and future colleagues. Greater Des Moines employers offer many opportunities for students.

DSM Intern Connection: Networking and Professional Development

DSM Intern Connection is a summer series designed for all interns and college students working in Greater Des Moines. This program offers valuable networking and professional development opportunities, connecting interns with the local business community and showcasing the distinctive culture of Greater Des Moines.

Housing Options for Interns

Grand View University offers an intern housing program that provides interns of DSM businesses, organizations, and educational institutions with living accommodations for the summer.

Young Professionals Connection (YPC)

YPC promotes an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in Greater Des Moines.

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