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Teacher-turned-mentor urges businesses to tap student talent through internships and innovation hubs
Summary
Don Wetrick described a teacher-led innovation accelerator and called on businesses to offer internships and mentorships that connect high-school students to real-world problems and potential career paths.
Don Wetrick, a Carmel resident and former teacher, told the Small Business Network he runs an innovation program that connects students with industry mentors, celebrity guests and entrepreneurship opportunities to help students turn problem‑finding into marketable ventures.
Wetrick described how the classroom experiments evolved into a pitch competition and an innovation accelerator for teachers that supplies students with mentorship and time to develop projects. He cited student successes including teams that sell products online and winners that later entered Y Combinator.
"People actually will work for less money if it's life filling," Wetrick said, arguing that apprenticeship‑style internships can help business owners cultivate a future workforce and transfer institutional knowledge as older owners plan succession.
Wetrick urged business owners to consider hosting vetted interns, promising the program can help identify candidates and stressed that early relationships can lead to future hires. He also offered a contact pathway for businesses interested in participating and provided a cell number for follow-up.
The keynote emphasized teacher networks, work‑based learning incentives from the state (including work-based learning premiums) and the role of local businesses in mentoring and hiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
