By Charitie Herbst

Minnesota cities continue to face challenges attracting and retaining employees in a variety of positions, especially in the years since the pandemic. Cities have experienced high turnover in administrative roles, while law enforcement, wastewater management, and public works positions are often difficult to fill. Internship programs offer an effective way to strengthen local workforce pipelines while giving students and recent graduates valuable experience that can lead to fulltime employment.

An internship leads to a career in Brainerd

The City of Brainerd took advantage of the opportunity to hire an intern for the Brainerd Police Department (BPD). For Brainerd Police Officer Nick Karsnia, that internship provided a direct pathway into the career and community he hoped to serve. The experience allowed him to earn college credit while gaining valuable hands-on experience within the department.

“The internship helped me get my foot in the door,” Karsnia said. “I learned how the department worked; learned the computer systems; built relationships with the police chief, deputy chief, and other officers; and it reassured me that this was where I wanted to be.”

The internship benefited both Karsnia and the department. For Karsnia, it provided practical experience, introduced him to department leadership, and allowed him to build relationships with fellow officers before applying for a full-time position. It also gave him a deeper understanding of the community through ride-alongs and interactions with city and county officials, attorneys, and local business owners.

“Even though I am from Brainerd, interning with BPD allowed me to see the city from a police perspective and not just as a citizen,” Karsnia said.

For BPD, the internship provided an opportunity to evaluate a future employee in a real-world setting. Department leaders observed Karsnia’s work ethic, professionalism, and ability to work as part of a team. After continuing as a community service officer, Karsnia was hired as a full-time police officer in 2022, helping the department maintain a qualified workforce and continue providing essential public safety services.

Filling gaps and meeting city needs

With the amount of information cities are required to report to the state, fulltime staff often have limited capacity for administrative, marketing, and special projects. This is especially true during the busy summer months, when demands on staff increase. Outsourcing these projects or shifting them to existing employees can place additional strain on city resources.

Interns can assist with projects, fieldwork, data collection, customer service, and other responsibilities that help reduce workloads and ease burnout for full-time staff.

Real results for the City of Emily

The City of Emily hired two interns in recent years whose studies directly aligned with city needs.

The first intern, Sienna-Rae, a computer engineering major, organized the city’s cemetery records, which were mostly handwritten, into a newly purchased software program. The completed, up-to-date database remains an important tool for preserving Emily’s history and is still used today.

The second intern, Jack, a marketing major from the Carlson School of Management, focused on marketing and graphic design projects, including a much-needed redesign of the city’s website.

Emily Clerk/Treasurer Cari Johnson praised the benefits of the city’s internship program.

“Jack designed and published our new website. The city gained a new, easy-to-navigate and more organized website just before our old website costs tripled. Sienna-Rae set up a new cemetery program by working with office staff and the program designer on exactly what information was needed and entered large amounts of cemetery data from multiple sources. She also redesigned the city’s logo. Both interns provided much-needed services at a low cost to the city.”

In turn, both Sienna-Rae and Jack gained valuable experience in their fields of study and built professional portfolios showcasing their work. They also learned how city government operates, developed professional connections, and saw firsthand how local government can provide meaningful careers.

A win-win for cities and interns

The benefits of internships extend well beyond a single project. Cities gain access to talented individuals who bring fresh perspectives, current training, and valuable skills to local government operations. Interns gain practical experience, professional connections, and a better understanding of careers in public service.

Whether helping address workforce shortages, completing important projects, or developing future employees, internships create lasting value for cities of all sizes. By investing in interns today, Minnesota cities are helping build the skilled workforce needed to serve their communities tomorrow.

Charitie Herbst is the senior director of Community Solutions at Sourcewell (sourcewell.org). Sourcewell is a member of the League’s Business Leadership Council (lmc.org/sponsors).