In an age of rapid change and opportunity, many Iowa employers are realizing that building their next generation of workforce starts with a commitment to the future.
On the Waukee campus of Holmes Murphy, this commitment is reflected in an internship program that has grown into a rousing success for the company – because it’s not just about creating a landing zone for students to have a summer job in insurance. The program also wraps itself around professional learning, hands-on experiences, and community engagement.
Abby Tibbetts, Work Based Learning Program Designer at Iowa Workforce Development, said programs that provide a real glimpse of what work is can have a valuable impact on awakening interest in future careers.
“Hands-on, in-depth, work-based learning experience helps make it real for the students,” Tibbetts said. “The more employers can create a meaningful experience, the better that interns and apprentices are prepared for long-term success – in insurance or other businesses.”
Jack Pettit remembers his experience at Holmes Murphy as being as much about growth and discovery as about building expertise in the field. Instead of having a schedule fully set up for him, the program challenged Pettit to set up his own – but provided open doors along the way to provide an up-close industry experience.
"While there were required meetings or projects, most of the internship was determined by ourselves. I found this challenge to be something that I actually enjoyed because we could fill our schedule with client meetings, projects, meetings with employees, or collaborate with fellow interns,” said Pettit. “I was able to take ownership of my experience and build relationships across the company.”
Holmes Murphy’s program spans 11 weeks in the summer, offering substantial time for immersive learning and hands-on experiences. Interns typically are placed into department-specific roles, such as Finance, Accounting, and Marketing. However, they can also participate in a rotational experience or other areas aligned with their academic focus and personal strengths.
Pettit was tasked with building and working through several projects during his internship. While this is common in many companies, Pettit was grateful that Holmes Murphy took the interns’ work seriously.
“After every presentation we received feedback on things that we did well, as well as opportunities to improve,” he said. “I was surprised by the amount of attention we received from the team and leaders [at the company].”
This approach – allowing interns to feel like they are truly experiencing the company and not acting as a guest during the workday – is one of the core advantages of a WBL program, Tibbetts said.
Successful programs give interns an opportunity to grow by coaching them to develop employability-related skills during the internship. When Iowa Workforce Development surveyed employers across the state in 2024, more than 75 percent cited soft skills (teamwork, problem solving, communication, adaptability) as being vital to workplace success.
This commitment to maximizing the benefit for interns through direct experiences and skills training is paying off for that future workforce. Holmes Murphy reports that more than 50 percent of its summer interns eventually are hired as full-time employees or return for a second summer. This includes Pettit, who after completing his internship was offered and accepted a full-time position.
Internships and other successful approaches to work-based learning are expanding across the state, and Iowa Workforce Development is here to help. For more information on these types of programs, connect with IWD’s Work-Based Learning team.