Northern Kane County presenters tell Jobs Committee internships grew from 52 to 243; region served 15,000 students last year
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Summary
Presenters from the Northern Kane County regional career-and-technical education partnership told the Kane County Jobs Committee on Jan. 16 that paid summer internships expanded from 52 to 243 last year and volunteer hours rose to roughly 17,000; presenters sought county and business partners to reach a goal of 300 paid internships this summer.
Terry Stroh, director of the Northern Kane County Regional Vocational System, and partners told the Kane County Jobs Committee on Jan. 16 that their regional career-and-technical education effort has sharply expanded paid internships and business partnerships.
"My name is Terry Stroh. I'm the director for the Northern Kane County Regional Vocational System," Stroh said, introducing the team that returned for a follow-up presentation after an earlier meeting. Nancy Coleman, executive director of the Alignment Collaborative for Education, said the collaboration served "over 15,000 students last school year." Todd Stern, the region's work-based learning specialist, said the program's budget is "just under about $3,000,000" to support CTE work across four districts.
Committee members heard data showing the program's summer internships grew from 52 paid placements to 243 last year, with a target of 300 paid interns this coming summer. Speakers said internships are funded through a mix of company contributions, grants and donations and that Elgin Community College and local foundations have been active partners. Presenters highlighted new pathways in AI, mental-health support and expanded first-responder and manufacturing opportunities.
The presenters described a mix of funding and in-kind support: volunteer hours were valued near $900,000 as of June 2025 and presenters said total volunteer hours were already about 17,000 in the current school year. Coleman said the region is emphasizing teacher pipelines and youth mental health as complements to technical training.
Committee members asked practical questions about employer participation and age limits for placements. Presenters said some employers (for example, hospitals) impose minimum-age rules but that apprenticeship arrangements and insurance coverage tied to school programs can allow younger students to participate under supervised mentorship. Presenters also described a regional programming model that lets students travel between high schools when a program cannot be duplicated at every school.
The presentation concluded with a request that county departments and committee members encourage county partner agencies and businesses to consider hosting interns; speakers offered contact information for Northern Kane County's alignment office and invited committee members to tour programs at area high schools and Elgin Community College.
The committee did not take formal action on the presentation; presenters were invited to remain for the rest of the meeting and answer follow-up questions.
