FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Stacie Noel
ODOD
614-644-0247
or
Orest Holubec
Governor’s Office
614-644-0957

Governor Announces Third Frontier Internship Awards -Presents $136,050 to Create 38 Internships and Eight Externships for Southeast Ohio Students

Governor Bob Taft today presented more than $136,000 in Third Frontier Internship Program grants to provide 38 internships for college students and 8 externships for educators in southeastern Ohio companies.

“We want our children and grandchildren to be able to stay close to home, because the good jobs are here in Ohio, close to home,” Taft said. “The Third Frontier Internship Program is one way to do that while benefiting Ohio businesses. I want to commend The Information Technology Alliance for Appalachian Ohio, the Washington County Economic Development Office and the project partners for taking part in this important and promising initiative.”

Taft presented a mock check for $95,550 to The Information Technology Alliance for Appalachian Ohio (ITAAO), which expects to create 25 internships and eight externships in 12 partnering companies. The event was held at the John Glenn Museum in New Concord.

Giving voice to the importance of internship programs, Leslie Goins, a graduate of project partner Muskingum College, spoke about her experiences as a 2002 intern at project partner Resource Systems. Other project partners include Hocking College, Ohio University’s Schools of Engineering and Business and Shawnee State University

Taft also presented the Washington County Economic Development Office with a mock check for $40,500. The event was held at Washington State Community College who partnered with Marietta College. At the event, Taft met with Casey Corbett, who hopes to be placed in one of the organizations 13 internship positions.

The Third Frontier Internship Program aims to develop a pool of talented workers for Ohio businesses; create student work experiences for Ohio residents; enrich the educational experience of college students; and expose educators to the strategies and processes of today’s business environment.

The three-year, $15 million initiative, utilizing federal funds from the Governor’s allocation of Workforce Investment Act, is expected to create approximately 1,300 internships in 2004 and a total of 4,500 internships over the next three years for Ohio students and will be administered by the Ohio Department of Development.

The Third Frontier Project is Taft's $1.6 billion job creation program to expand Ohio's high-tech research capabilities and promote start-up companies to create high-paying jobs. It is the state's largest-ever economic development investment and has received bi-partisan support from the Ohio Legislature. The final part of the Third Frontier Project, a $500 million bond program up for voter approval in November, would allow the state to allocate $50 million annually over the next 10 years to attract top research talent to Ohio institutions, help with the development and commercialization of new products and create new, good jobs for Ohioans.

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