The rebranded InternXL digital platform is offering a career boost for students of colour through paid internships and free career preparation training.

InternXL is offering free training and certifications with companies such as Cisco and Accenture for the 2022-23 academic year.

InternXL and its partners will continue to work directly with Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to ensure that students reach their full potential in a competitive global economy.

Across the United States, students with an internship on their resumes are more likely to land a full-time job after graduation. Yet, only 6.6% of Black and 7.9% of Latino students participated in paid internships, compared to 74% of white students. At the same time, these two groups are over-represented in unpaid internships.

Lack of equity

To address this lack of equity in the nation’s workforce, InternXL provides organisations of all types, including Fortune 500 companies, access to diverse, pre-screened talent for entry-level positions. 

Over 220 companies and over 16,000 pre-screened students are registered partners and participants on the InternXL platform. More than 1,300 courses are offered in a multi-level learning management system (LMS). 

Candidates can learn various topics and skills, including cloud, cybersecurity, Salesforce, and project management.

The LMS also offers mental health support, advice on how to dress for success, and even tips on cooking healthy meals. This is designed to prepare students for career-changing internships that can lead to long-term professional success.

This project builds on InterneXL’s $15,000 investment in March 2022 at Tuskegee University, which provided headshots and professional attire to Tuskegee students during the internship and application phases.

“The impact of this initiative has been a game changer for Tuskegee University’s Career Education and Leadership Development Center,” said Dr Walter P. Cooper, director of Tuskegee University. 

“The InternXL team saw a need and acted immediately to bring about transformational change, not only through their professional resources but also through their financial support.”

Engage diverse talent

Robert F. Smith, founding director and chairman of the Fund II Foundation, and founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, an InternXL partner firm, also sees this as a matter of national competitiveness and security: “If America is to remain competitive in the rising global digital economy, companies and universities must work together to engage diverse talent.”

He added: “We built internxl.org to create pipelines and opportunities for minority students to work with many of the world’s leading technology companies, offering experiences many students never thought would be accessible.”

Ivana Jackson, InternXL programme director, said internships could help level the playing field. “The InternXL platform is uniquely positioned to bring precision, diversity, inclusion and efficiency to the internship search process for thousands of highly talented and qualified young adults across the country.

“The goal is to bring value to both the employer and the student by providing highly skilled, pre-screened entry-level talent for the employer and offering “on-ramps” to high-quality jobs that help students begin their professional careers.”