Hawaiʻi’s workforce challenge isn’t about recruiting harder or posting more — it’s about aligning skills with real work and reducing hiring friction in a tight labor market.

National data reinforces what employers already know. 2024 data indicates employers extended full-time offers to more than 60% of their 2024 intern class, with roughly half of interns transitioned into permanent roles. Compare that to traditional recruiting — where AI-generated resumes and timely, resource-intensive interviews consistently generate mixed results — and the business case for internships becomes clear.

Internships turn hiring into a working interview. Over weeks or months, employers evaluate performance, problem-solving ability, and coachability. When structured well — with defined projects, strong supervision, and real feedback — internships can reduce costly mis-hires, shorten ramp-up time, and improve retention. They prepare the incoming workforce for “real world” employment; clarifying expectations and creating lower-stakes learning opportunities.

For Hawaiʻi employers, there’s another advantage: internships intentionally build our local talent pool. They create early-career pathways that help students see a future here at home — strengthening retention of local talent and keeping opportunity in our communities. Instead of losing emerging professionals to mainland markets, local employers can cultivate and convert talent—even if that talent finds their path with another local employer, the additive skill and experience developed from the internship is a net add for our shared local talent pool.

Come hear local employers share about their internship programs--what worked, what didn’t, and how they made internships successful at the Hawaiʻi Internship Summit. Seating is limited, register here.