School Spotlight
Lakeland Community CollegeFounded in 1967, Lakeland Community College was the first college in Ohio founded by a vote of the people. For over 30 years Lakeland Community College has helped thousands of Lake, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Ashtabula County residents reach their career and educational goals. Read More! |
Ohio Co-op/Internship Program
Your Support is Needed!
Almost one year ago, the State of Ohio took a bold step in its efforts to grow Ohio’s economy by creating a new program: the Ohio Co-op/Internship Program (“OCIP”). OCIP—designed to be the largest co-op and internship program in the country—would provide Ohio college students with hands-on learning opportunities, recruit talent to the state, retain that talent in Ohio, and build the talent pipeline for Ohio’s businesses.
OCIP is to be funded by the state at $50 million per year for FY2010-2014 (therefore starting on July 1, 2009). In Northeast Ohio alone, 12 proposals were submitted in May 2009, demonstrating a wide array of academic and business supporters who joined forces to create new learning opportunities and leverage state dollars with a 1:1 match from the private sector.
OCIP is in jeopardy due to budget constraints.
OCIP was originally included at full funding in the Governor’s Executive Budget and was also included at nearly full funding in the budget in the Ohio House of Representatives version (HB 1). However, the Ohio Senate eliminated all funding for OCIP in its version of the budget.
OCIP is now in the hands of a Conference Committee, made up of three members each from the Ohio House and Ohio Senate. The committee is working to reconcile the budget, which must be passed by June 30, 2009. NOCHE will continue to update this page—so stay tuned.