Strengthening the talent pipeline with year-round, hands-on learning
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In Indianapolis, there’s no off-season for tourism, events, and sports. From WWE and Big Ten Tournaments to Gen Con and major conventions, our city’s calendar remains packed year-round. As I have reflected on my career connecting students to opportunities in this industry, I’ve realized that our approach to hands-on learning needs to reflect this same pattern.
While semester-based internships have traditionally been and will continue to be valuable entry points for students seeking hands-on experience, they represent just one time-bound window of opportunity in an industry that operates continuously. This traditional model doesn’t always align with the needs of our industry. In addition, it does not always meet the needs of today’s students who want options that allow them to gain experience while earning academic credit throughout the year.
Many industry professionals grew up with and benefited from the model that prioritized and valued internships, particularly those occurring in the summer semester. It served previous generations well and will always be a part of the fabric of how students get experience. But today’s students balance location constraints, a wide variety of financial needs, and work-life expectations. To develop the next generation of talent, we need to expand the number of hands-on opportunities available to students throughout the year that meet student and industry needs.
Beyond Internships
First, students can gain hands-on experience in classroom-based courses. They learn through project-based assignments with real clients, guest lectures from industry professionals, research projects, volunteering at events, producing events in the community, and senior capstones that address real business challenges. Building a curriculum that meets industry needs starts with professionals who join our classrooms as adjunct instructors, guest speakers, and willingness to serve as the client for a class project. By integrating hands-on learning across the curriculum, students continually reflect on their learning and can apply what they learn in real time. These industry experts bring current knowledge and connect students with seasonal opportunities. When they help shape our courses, students apply what they’ve learned in real work settings throughout the year, making their education more relevant and practical.
For this approach to succeed, we need more than an expanded portfolio of experiential learning opportunities—we need hiring managers to value these diverse experiences. Often, recruiters look primarily for formal internships as evidence of preparation. But we need to expand our industry’s perception of valuable pre-professional experience. A student who manages a client project, conducts market research, or coordinates campus events develops many of the same skills as an intern. When hiring managers recognize these alternative experiences, they access a broader talent pool and acknowledge students who found different paths to professional growth.
Second, to implement year-round experiential learning effectively, we need industry partners willing to break down silos and help design flexible experiences. Working during the academic year helps students earn money for tuition while gaining valuable experience. When internship and co-op hours are built into for-credit courses, students advance both their degrees and careers simultaneously.
A Call to Action
Year-round employer-student connections can help anchor and retain talented individuals drawn to Indianapolis’ sports and tourism sector. By working together to create year-round opportunities—from venue tours to student-run events to research projects—we’ll strengthen Indianapolis’ position as a premier destination and prepare graduates ready to contribute immediately.
Our industry operates continuously. The way we prepare students should reflect this reality. We’re asking Indianapolis’ tourism, sports, and hospitality leaders to join us in reimagining how we develop talent for a field that never takes a day off.