I’ll never forget the feeling. 

As a student at Drake University studying journalism and mass communication, I was finally in the field as an intern for KCCI, working with one of the news outlets I watched since childhood, working alongside journalists who told stories of Iowans every day, as a way to inform and inspire. As an intern, I remember the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing my way around the newsroom, yet being eager to be part of it. The adrenaline rush of breaking news. The hustle and buzz of activity throughout the newsroom, especially right before a newscast. And constantly watching the clock – ensuring we didn’t miss a deadline.   

As a young person who dreamed of making a positive impact through storytelling, I realized that my greatest opportunities were right here – in Greater Des Moines. 

Internship season is almost here. I’m sure most organizations are finalizing their intern plans if they haven’t finished them already. Collectively, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on others, specifically by helping hundreds of young people this summer.

One of our areas of focus at the Greater Des Moines Partnership is to help the region attract, retain and develop talent to meet workforce needs. Together, with help and support from public, private and nonprofit organizations, we have created and initiated opportunities for current and future workforce. The latest population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show we are still the fastest-growing major metro in the Midwest, and our region’s employment growth tells a similar story. This year, Reader’s Digest (and other publications) ranked Greater Des Moines as the No. 3 Most Livable Metro in the U.S. Last year, Forbes ranked the region as the No. 1 Best Place for Young Professionals, and CommercialCafe ranked Greater Des Moines as a Top 10 Best Metro for Millennials.

And yet, we know we need to continue to grow. Our employers depend on it. Our economic development efforts depend on it.

One way the Partnership supports talent attraction and retention is through hosting the DSM Intern Connection each summer. This series of events helps college interns connect with each other, community leaders and executives, and the Greater Des Moines region. These interns come from all over the country and from employers all over the region. And while they are here, they have the opportunity to experience all that our region has to offer – including events like the Downtown Farmers’ Market presented by UnityPoint Health each Saturday, the award-winning restaurants and so much more – and discover the spirit that makes Greater Des Moines unique.

And it works. 

Last year we had 349 participants representing 108 employers, 84 colleges and universities, and 22 states. Nearly three-quarters of participants said they would be likely to move to our region and accept a job with their employer after graduation. 

Consider past participant Reilly Smidt, who is now slated to be the incoming board president of the Young Professionals Connection (YPC). Reilly said: “The opportunities provided by the DSM Intern Connection event series played a pivotal role in helping me establish my network, build confidence in my professional skills and find my place in our community. As a result of the network I built and the positive experiences I had through the DSM Intern Connection, I am now a young professional living and working in DSM.” Reilly leveraged his experience to get a job here and connect to several nonprofit volunteer opportunities.

Similarly, last year we worked with the Principal Charity Classic and Sammons Financial to launch The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective for high school students. Over six weeks, participants have the opportunity to learn professional skills and connect with business leaders, with the goal that these students will one day begin careers right here in Greater Des Moines. Last year, I was fortunate to meet many of these students, including one who called the experience “life-changing.”

These programs complement several other talent development efforts. Our “Do Something Greater” national talent and economic development marketing campaign brought 393,000-plus users to our website to learn more about the region, and 390 to raise their hand to say they were interested in moving into our talent pool prospect pipeline. Earlier this month, we launched the fourth cohort of the DSM Fellowship program for top-tier early-career professionals. And this year, YPC is celebrating its 25th anniversary of connecting young professionals to the community. 

I encourage you to think about how you can make a difference in a young person’s life, through an internship, through connecting them to one of the programs mentioned above, or through investing your time to support our future workforce. Take a chance on that young person who is searching for the place to make a positive impact. You can inspire others, help shape our workforce, bolster our collective economic and community development efforts, and most importantly, change lives.