Minority Students Reap Financial and Professional Benefits of INROADS College Internships

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- As students head back to the classroom and examine the takeaway from miscellaneous summer jobs, the buzz across Southern California college campuses is to skip the gigs that just add some short-term pocket change and instead plan for serious cash with a paid summer internship that will jumpstart a career. And now is the time to think ahead with applications for 2008 INROADS summer internships available as of August 18, "INROADS DAY." More than 1,000 diverse undergraduates are expected to apply and compete for the anticipated 150 openings in the 2008 summer program.

For more than 37 years, thousands of students from diverse ethnic backgrounds have looked to INROADS, a national non-profit, for leadership development, mentoring and placement with Fortune 500 corporations across multiple industries. INROADS interns work (and are paid) full-time for 2-4 consecutive summers, receiving an estimated 1400+ hours of real-life professional experience before graduation. The on-the-job training helps students determine if the industry is the right fit and if so, how to leverage insights and experience to map a successful career. The positive exposure to top executives and ongoing mentoring from skilled advisors boosts students' confidence and overall outlook for the future. Over 50% of interns stay with their sponsoring company after graduation.

INROADS internships have made Vault Inc.'s list of America's Top 10 Internships for eleven consecutive years, proving its program is consistently among the best. During the summer, INROADS interns pull in better-than-competitive wages in comparison to peers working fast-food counters and retail. More importantly, the true pay off is learning marketable skills that translate directly to greater opportunity upon graduation. Recruiters and leaders in Fortune 500 corporations confirm that having an internship under the belt before graduation can result in more pay upon hire.

"We're continually impressed with the training and leadership skills of INROADS interns," said Bin Wolfe, Human Resources Director, Ernst and Young. "We've taken an internal study and seen better success rates with interns since they start out better prepared and already familiar with how our firm operates."

"The marketplace continues to be competitive," commented Hector LaFarga, Regional Director of INROADS for the Pacific Southwest Region. "It takes commitment and connections to make an internship pay off. Students willing to put in the time and learn, find INROADS can open many doors after graduation and beyond. We have a proven track record of helping shape the future of tomorrow's leaders."

To put a spotlight on the importance of internships and preparing for a career early, government officials across the state have proclaimed August 18 as "INROADS Day" in their districts. Broadcast media across the Southwest are further supporting efforts by running public service announcements encouraging students to learn more by visiting http://www.inroads.org/

About INROADS

Founded in 1970, INROADS, Inc. is the nation's most successful non-profit leadership development and placement organization for outstanding ethnically diverse college students. With more than 50 offices throughout the US, Mexico, Canada and South Africa, INROADS trains and places over 5,000 college students in salaried corporate internships each year. In its 37-year history, INROADS has helped more than 40,000 college students develop leadership skills and professional competencies needed to launch successful careers in business and industry. To learn more about INROADS, visit http://www.inroads.org/ .

  Media Contact:
  Lisa Ruiz-Rogers
  Manning Selvage & Lee
  323-866-6013

  Hector LaFarga, Jr.
  INROADS
  562-777-1711, X213