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FEATURED ARTICLES           Wednesday, September 08, 2010                                Email to a Friend

INROADS CANADA: Opening Doors, One Student at a Time

Erin Hipwell

The corporate world can be a hard market to break into, especially if one is young, fresh out of school, and new to the business scene. Students looking for a summer job in business face a number of obstacles, and new grads hoping for their first big career break are often met with rejection by companies who are looking for more experienced players. These impediments are even greater for minority job seekers, who may face additional challenges as a result of discrimination in the workplace and beyond. While many students possess a wealth of talent and a drive to succeed, that first “real” job can seem unattainable in a world of closed doors.

Fortunately, one not-for-profit organization has dedicated the past 38 years to providing internship opportunities to deserving students with an interest in business. INROADS matches talented individuals from a variety of ethnic backgrounds with valuable corporate internship opportunities in their field of interest. From positions in marketing and sales to finance and logistics, INROADS has placed student interns with corporate giants such as Procter & Gamble, Pepsi, Johnson and Johnson, and Kraft. Campus Life Magazine recently had the opportunity to speak to Gord Meyer, chair of INROADS Toronto and Business Unit Director at Procter & Gamble.

Meyer notes that while unemployment is the lowest it’s been in decades, the biggest problem faced by students is finding a quality job. “How do you get a job that’s fulfilling, that’s challenging? A job where you’ll learn, a job where you get responsibility, where you’ve got an employer that invests in you? There’s an awful lot of clutter out there for a student looking for that job.” To a student looking for that quality position in business, an INROADS internship can make all the difference.

Established in Chicago in 1970, INROADS has since spread throughout Canada and the U.S., now boasting a network of over 50 offices in North America. The INROADS mission statement is to “increase business career opportunities and knowledge for the best ethnically diverse students, while giving corporations the opportunity to develop diverse managerial talent”. Meyer asserts that participating in an INROADS internship is a way for students to stand out from the crowd, noting that INROADS interns are both of a “high standard” and “highly capable”. In fact, over half of INROADS interns transition into full time positions with their placement company, and all go on to find success in their field. “I haven’t ever heard of an INROADS intern who hasn’t got a great career going,” Meyer says proudly. “They all go off and get great jobs.”

That said, “great” may actually be an understatement, as INROADS connects students with amazing positions at some of the top businesses in North America, including Meyer’s own office at Procter & Gamble. Asked about the companies that INROADS works with, Meyer sees a common thread. “If I look at all the sponsors of INROADS, I would say they are all pretty like minded. They all value talent. They all want the best talent. They all have some recognition that a diverse work force is really valuable. And so, they’re quite like-minded.”

The INROADS organization strives not only to place interns with the top companies in the industry, but to work with the best possible student talent. Describing an INROADS intern as “a little more exclusive”, Meyer notes that the corporations who take on INROADS interns are getting “the best talent” possible, as opposed to just a warm body to fill a given position. An INROADS intern is someone who is constantly learning and developing their skills and knowledge, and will be a serious asset to their placement company.

The corporate world can be tumultuous and challenging, and Meyer recognizes the power of education both in school and in life. “Education comes from a lot of sources. It comes from your formal education, which is so important – but if you’re not continuing to learn through experience, through curiosity, etc, then you won’t reach your full potential.” In addition to internship placements, INROADS students attend business and career training workshops to further develop their talents. An INROADS intern is able to navigate a changing world, learning as they meet new challenges. As Meyer explains, “The only certainty is the uncertainty of the future. Change is constant.”

With an impressive roster of corporate sponsors and an incredible pool of talented student interns, INROADS seems to have found the key to success. However, while the INROADS organization continues to open doors for students, it has faced some challenges of its own. When asked about the biggest obstacle facing INROADS today, Meyer quickly replies “more sponsors”. Quite simply, the program needs more businesses to take on INROADS interns in order for the organization to flourish. “Companies are at different stages in their journey of understanding the value of diversity,” Meyer explains. However, he is hopeful that INROADS will continue to help students start careers in business for years to come. After all, INROADS interns and corporate sponsors alike are able to benefit from student placements. “It all comes down to getting the best crew of people with a variety of ideas and bringing those people together in a very productive way to push your business forward.”

As our discussion comes to an end, Meyer has one last thought about what makes the INROADS program so unique. He asserts that there are two types of people: those who the world happens to, and those who happen to the world. INROADS interns, Meyer explains, take control. Looking thoughtful, he concludes seriously. “INROADS students are happening to the world.”

If you’d like to learn more about the INROADS program, become an INROADS corporate sponsor or apply for an INROADS internship, visit www.inroads.org or contact Richard Pinnock, Managing Director, Tel: 416-512-0929, Email rpinnock@inroads.org.

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