LaunchGVL initiative seeks to bridge gap in Upstate SC talent pipeline

Work-based learning initiatives are quickly becoming a vital link between the workforce needs of the modern economy and the nascent talent pool of students on the cusp of entering the job market.

LaunchGVL, a collaborative initiative between the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and Greenville County Schools, seeks to meet the surging demand for talent by providing high school students with high-quality paid internships.

For LaunchGVL Director Alex Fagan, the task is not simply about meeting a critical labor need but involves connecting young people to meaningful career options in which they can grow, prosper and build a future rooted in Greenville.

Market match

The underlying principle of LaunchGVL centers on connecting the business community and its talent needs with motivated high school students ready to explore career options. It involves matching students and their budding interests with the right companies.

The need for talent spans a wide range of sectors and skill sets. By working with both the business community and Greenville County Schools, LaunchGVL is building a real-time picture of the employment landscape that informs what courses and skills are needed.

With a background in public education, including a stint as a teacher at Greenville High School, Fagan has seen first hand the impact a good internship can have on a student. When he assumed the helm of LaunchGVL earlier this year, he brought a commitment to grow the program and create even more opportunities for students to get their first taste of paid, meaningful work.

A paid internship represents more than just compensation and a chance to learn new skills, Fagan said. It can be the first real glimpse of career options in Greenville and across the Upstate, and even within individual companies and organizations.

“I think it shows (students) an economic path forward here in Greenville, to have paid opportunities,” Fagan said.

With the chamber’s business connections, paired with the school district’s commitment to provide coursework aligned with an evolving labor and skills landscape, LaunchGVL is working to build a virtuous cycle in which both sides reinforce and strengthen the other, Fagan said.

For the businesses and nonprofits that offer students paid internships, they get:

Access to motivated students, which can diversify their recruiting efforts
Help building a systematized way to hire high school students
An infusion of innovative talent

For students taking part in the program, they get:

Hands-on work experience
Income while gaining experience and developing new skills
Professional growth, including soft skills and a better understanding of career options

Growing the program

Because of the initiative’s success with students, and with the companies and organizations that hire them, LaunchGVL is expanding the program to create more opportunities.

In July, the Leon Levine Foundation, through the Carolina Career-Connected Learning Challenge, awarded the Greenville Chamber Foundation a $250,000 grant to expand LaunchGVL. Fagan said the funding will grow both the number of students participating and the support LaunchGVL provides.

Fagan said he would love to see the initiative grow to accommodate as many as 500 interns each academic cycle. It served about 230 student interns last year. Growing the program will involve putting student ambassadors in all 15 of the county’s public high schools — up from the current nine. Student ambassadors help ensure their peers know about available internships, encourage them to apply, and provide social support and encouragement during the internship.

The grant funding will support more student ambassadors and provide other types of support — for example, transportation assistance — to help interns succeed. The grant will also help the program recruit more “champions” – faculty or staff within each school who provide an additional source of support, encouragement and mentorship.

Fagan said he is also working to bring more businesses, both large and small, into the program and representing as wide a variety of career options as possible.

For businesses and organizations looking to work with LaunchGVL, the process is relatively straightforward. A business must first create an account on the LaunchGVL website and include details such as the nature of the business, a principal contact and the number of students the company is considering hiring.

LaunchGVL screens the applications to ensure they are legitimate and represent real companies. The program will also work with companies to help design internships that best meet the company’s needs.

“This is such a huge opportunity and a way for businesses to truly invest in this next generation,” Fagan said. “I think by engaging in internships, you put (your company) at the forefront of these kids’ minds.”

LaunchGVL Fast Facts

92% of intern performance rated as excellent/good
92% of employers reported interns had a positive impact on their teams
96% of employers report they would consider hiring interns again

Want to help?

A paid internship at your business or organization is an investment in the region’s future workforce. Examples of companies and organizations taking part in the LaunchGVL initiative include: