February 19, 2008 - 5:42am
With an aging workforce, mass retirements of baby boomers and a growing shortage of highly skilled workers in BC and across Canada, many businesses are looking for unique ways to find and keep talented employees.
Malaspina University-College may have the answer.
Sixty students in Malaspina’s dual degree Master of Business Administration (MBA) program are seeking four-month internships to work with local, national or international companies between July and October 2008. Another 40 students will seek internships from November 2008 to February 2009.
“This is a terrific opportunity for businesses to tap into the energy, expertise, and academic training of our highly trained and motivated students, and possibly recruit employees and future leaders of tomorrow,” said Brook Pearce, internship coordinator at Malaspina.
“The current shortage of highly skilled professionals and the aging population demand that businesses create long term recruitment and succession plans now. In a knowledge based economy, talented, educated, youthful minded professionals represent the new currency of success, and we’ve got them pursuing their education right here in Nanaimo."
Malaspina MBA students come from 20 countries around the world, including Nigeria, Mexico, France, Pakistan, India, Canada, Egypt, Russia, Indonesia, Qatar, China, Taiwan, Peru, Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Japan and Nicaragua.
"Our students have unique international perspectives, experiences and contacts," said Pearce. "Many have significant international business experience."
Malaspina’s MBA student interns are available to work as business consultants or employees. “From expanding into possible new markets, to strategically analysing operational policy, to assisting with special projects, our MBA student interns can provide energy and scope that an organization may not have the resources to accomplish internally,” added John Woychuk, also a Malaspina internship coordinator. “There’s a lot of flexibility in the way the program works."
Internships can be unpaid, however, many organizations have opted to add some form of compensation for students, said Woychuk. Typically internships cover a four-month work term, with a recommended average of 24 hours per week, where the intern performs operational duties within the organization, or is assigned to specific project or business issue to research or analyze.
"Internships can be a win-win for students and employers," he said. “Obviously our students gain excellent practical on-the-job experience. For employers, this is a perfect opportunity to try out potential employees before making permanent hiring decisions. It’s like a four-month extended interview process."
Malaspina’s 14-month MBA program is unique in Canada. Graduates receive a dual degree – a Master’s in Business Administration degree from Malaspina and a Master’s of Science in International Business from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.
The four-month internship component is mandatory and the entire program is offered in a condensed time-frame so students can get into the workforce faster. “Both features are very attractive to students,” Woychuk added.
These are some of the reasons student Lukman Garbadeen from Nigeria enrolled in Malaspina's MBA program last July. "After researching schools, it was the dual degree masters program and great climate that convinced me that Malaspina is where I want to be," he said. Lukman, who completed his undergraduate degree in Kenya and worked for two years for the United Nations in Malawi (southern Africa) as an Information Technology Officer, said he and other students are excited about the internship opportunity, particularly to gain experience in Canadian business.
By utilizing an MBA intern, businesses and organizations can benefit from the past experience, talent and output promised by the MBA students, and play a key role in influencing educational programming of future business learners, added Pearce. "As Malaspina strives to provide cutting edge business instruction, employer feedback on our student internship program is essential. It will help us keep our programs focused on the genuine needs of the business community."
Pearce and Woychuk have been making the rounds in the mid-Island region, speaking to Rotary clubs, Chambers of Commerce and other business groups to raise awareness about the MBA internship program, and seek opportunities for students.
“The response has been terrific,” added Pearce. “We’ve confirmed a few internship placements for students already, but we’re looking for more."
If you think your business or organization would benefit from Malaspina's mature, eager, intelligent MBA students and the access to Malaspina resources they bring along with them, contact John Woychuk at (250) 740-6575 woychukj@viu.ca, or Brook Pearce (250) 740-6574 or pearceb@viu.ca.
Editor's note: Local businesses and organizations interested in meeting potential internship candidates are invited to a "Business after Business" event at Malaspina University-College on Monday, March 31, from 5 to 7 pm, in the Malaspina Library, 5th floor. The theme is "Building business-Bridging futures." For more information, contact MBA students Melina Simonian at enfermera_guapa@hotmail.com or Lukman Garbadeen at garbadeel@viu.ca
Tags: In the Community
