Program details were provided by HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber; HCEDC Executive Director Michelle Richardson; and HCCC Associate Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development Lori Margolin.
The HCCC-HCEDC Internship Program was launched in spring 2024 with a Project-Based Internship that teaches entrepreneurs and small businesses how to access resources for growth and provides experiential learning opportunities for talented HCCC students. Student interns provide technical assistance in marketing, digital literacy, and social media, allocating up to 55 hours to each business. The first cohort of five student interns were placed with CHB Interiors, ConSHINEment LLC, Cavany Foods LLC, Medical Office Technologies, and She is Incorporated.
The recently added Development-Based Internship engages HCCC students with businesses involved in Hudson County construction projects. The College and HCEDC are working with SRL Enterprises, a minority-owned Hudson County business, to build out this portion of the program.
Both programs are financially backed by HCEDC, HCCC, and a grant from Citizens Philanthropic Foundation that allows businesses to hire interns at no cost, as the grant fully funds interns’ $20 per hour stipends for the first year. Students complete a five-hour internship training program and interview with a business prior to selection. Although the program only recently launched, it has already exceeded expectations.
“At Citizens, we believe small businesses have the power to uplift communities and are committed to helping provide the resources and tools needed for them to succeed,” said Danny Lee, Senior Vice President and District Sales Manager for Tri State Metro at Citizens. “We’re thrilled to help launch Hudson County Community College’s new small business internship program and look forward to seeing the impact this new accessible career pipeline has on the businesses and future workforce of Hudson County.”
“The launching of this paid internship program in coordination with local County businesses showcases the types of opportunity Hudson County Government is providing for our residents,” said County Executive Craig Guy. “In our partnership with HCCC and HCEDC, our County is providing the opportunity for students to gain real-world experience fostering career development, while also building a more skilled and diverse workforce for businesses in our local area.”
“The HCCC-HCEDC Internship Program allows businesses to evaluate and train potential long-term employees, build a talent pipeline, reduce recruitment efforts and costs, and fuel regional economic growth,” Dr. Reber stated. “We are grateful to the County, HCEDC, Citizens Philanthropic Foundation, and our host businesses for making this program a reality. Combining education and workforce development is a win-win for everyone in Hudson County.”
About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves more than 20,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management; Nursing and Health Professions; and Humanities and Social Sciences. The HCCC Culinary/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools. The College’s School of Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers cutting-edge, industry-recognized, stackable credentials in alignment with high-priority workforce needs.
HCCC has partnerships with major four-year colleges and universities in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.
The College’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been recognized with the 2021 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Northeast Region Equity Award; the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2021, 2022 and 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, this year honoring HCCC as one of six community colleges nationally to be named “Top Colleges for Diversity;” the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2022 and 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, and 2024 Inspiring Programs in Business Award. The College received the 2023 Outstanding Member Institution Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). HCCC was a finalist in seven categories of this year’s American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) national “Awards of Excellence” and earned CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards.
For the third consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of 18 community colleges in the United States to be named among the “2024 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges” by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) in collaboration with “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.” HCCC was one of 22 community colleges in the nation, and the only college in New Jersey, to be recognized by ModernThink LLC and the “Chronicle of Higher Education” as a 2022 and 2023 “Great College to Work For®.” HCCC is one of two colleges in the United States to be named a Top Ten Finalist in all three program categories for the nationally recognized 2023 Bellwether Awards, and received the 2023 Bellwether Award for the College’s cutting-edge “Hudson Scholars” program, which also won the 2024 Bellwether Legacy Award.
The College’s exemplary work in advancing student success has been recognized with the 2023 “Leader College of Distinction” designation by Achieving the Dream, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community colleges as catalysts for equity and mobility in their communities. HCCC was also presented the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2023 and 2024 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.
About Hudson County Economic Development Corporation
Hudson County Economic Development Corporation (HCEDC) serves the County’s diverse communities by providing comprehensive financial access, information, professional training, and affordable housing. HCEDC is committed to building a healthy local economy through collaborative partnerships for business, organizations, and individuals.
