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Can’t Tweet? This Internship’s For You

Screen Shot 2016-02-24 at 11.13.47 AM

If companies offered internships for 40-somethings, would you apply? One PR firm says employers are missing the boat by catering only to kids.

Put another way: “Just because you do not tweet does not mean you don’t know what’s up.”

So says New York PR maven Dara Kaplan, of a new internship program for women in their 40s, 50s and 60s who have taken time off but are now eager to re-enter the workforce.

She and partner Gwen Wunderlich of Wunderlich Kaplan Communications hope that the paid, six-week “Enternship” program designed to help women everything from creating publicity campaigns to learning social media, writing press releases, pitching media and more. They’ll also learn about blogging, vlogging and emerging communication technologies.

Their inspiration was the 2015 flick The Intern, in which Robert De Niro plays a 70-year-old widower who becomes an intern at an online fashion site where he works for the CEO, played by Anne Hathaway.

While the film got a lukewarm reception from critics, it drew rave reviews from Kaplan and Wunderlich, who watched it three times in one weekend. The film said something to them about older workers, and how much experience, clarity and perspective they can bring to an office.

“I love millennials,” clarifies Kaplan, 31, who is one herself. “The sense of creativity, adventure and entrepreneurship is unbelievable. However, I believe that our society and workforce is missing out by just catering to my generation.”

What’s your take? Is this an idea that more companies should copy?

Comments

  1. Caty Smith

    I love this idea! If I knew of a company that had this program here in Atlanta, I would sign up tonight!!!

  2. Candice

    As a stay-at-home (for the last 15 years) mom who is looking to get back into the workforce, it sounds like a good idea to me! I left my office position after my first daughter was born, and I know my skills are outdated. This would be a great way to sharpen skills and allow employers to see your potential, just like a recent college graduate.

  3. Ann

    I love this idea, wish this opportunity existed in my neck of the woods, know many that would love the opportunity to learn new skills, bring extensive post-career experiences, intuition and innovation to another sector.

  4. Theresa Aberle

    Working with students and employers has made me see many flaws with having a workforce of only one age group. People in their 40s, 50s, 60s, even 70s does not mean that you lose creativity, but you gain different styles of creativity and you gain work ethic for the younger ones to model. The idea of working from home is fantastic, and something that I would love more offices to offer, but if you can’t be sure that work is being done you are paying a salary for someone to sleep! I remember more advertising from the 60s and 70s yet this generation is saying that there is no creativity to be had by people who were creating ads that STILL sell product! Most people in their 40s-70s understand the technology out there, and if they want to work are willing to learn whatever is coming! Age doesn’t mean that we lose our ability to think, learn, or adapt… in many cases we do it better as we age because we have seen more change happen, and we have lived through it!

  5. Lesley Sullivan

    Greetings,
    I’m so excited about the fact that you saw that movie as I did and said “YES” ! Along with being a fantastic film, it held the message that this country needs to hear, that the enormous resources “in-house” available to the economy in all areas are just waiting
    for directions! I’m 59 an ex-at home Mom who has been DIY-ing successfully for years and knows that there is more out there somewhere that I would be great at. I would love to be part of a team of great minds trouble shooting ad campaigns or contributing to any number of everyday issues that have gone untapped until now. I’m a hard worker and learn fast. Hey, I raised 2 kids and they BOTH survived!

  6. pat cooper

    I love this idea and would apply for an intern opportunity here in Boston area in a heartbeat! The intern is one of my favorite movies – own it and have probably watched it 4+ times.

  7. Doretha Bright

    I think this is a wonderful idea. My husband is a professor at an university and I see how all of his students benefit from having an internship. And me myself would love to try something new or learn something new. I think an internship would be a great opportunity for someone who wants to start a new career.

  8. sigrid

    I think an internship is an awesome idea for anyone at any age. This concept will bring diversity to the workforce. A diverse workforce will produce a multitude of ideas which brings growth.

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