The Official Website of the State of Arkansas | Arkansas.gov



March 9, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Janet Wilson, Public Information Manager

Arkansas Department of Information Systems

501.683.1791

Janet.wilson@

DIS Announces Launch of Technology-Focused Internship Program

LITTLE ROCK—University students enrolled in an information systems or computer science-related field of study now have the opportunity to gain hands on job experience this summer in a professional, technology environment through a new internship program announced by the Arkansas Department of Information Systems (DIS).

DIS will be offering paid internships with a flexible work schedule to meet an intern’s educational and training goals. Core learning areas will include business analytics, cybersecurity, applications, networking, IT customer solutions, and more.

“I came into my role at DIS from being an assistant professor in Harding University’s Department of Management Information Systems,” said DIS Acting Director Yessica Jones. “I have witnessed first-hand the value of combining a student’s knowledge and capabilities learned in the classroom with real-world job experience. I knew an internship program at DIS would have value for both the agency and the student.”

Interns will benefit DIS by

• Providing assistance to support projects

• Providing varying viewpoints

• Creating salary savings with efficiencies

• Facilitating recruitment and future workforce planning

• Establishing better ties to the community through educational partnerships

• Energizing the workplace with a desire to learn

Internships will benefit students by offering

• Career related experience

• Practical job-related knowledge

• The potential to earn academic credit

• Increased self-confidence

• Improved communication skills

Groundwork for creating the program involved researching current internship programs in other state agencies and the governor’s office. It also required becoming knowledgeable about the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and youth employment standards affecting employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments.

“Getting this program off the ground took a lot of hard work and research by our human resources staff at DIS,” Jones said. “They really embraced and took ownership of the effort to get the program implemented in time to receive applications for internships for this summer.”

DIS is the information technology provider for the state of Arkansas. DIS provides IT solutions, services and support to state agencies, boards and commissions, the K-12 public school system and administrative and business functions of higher education. DIS is also responsible for the security, disaster recovery and Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) functions for the state.

Online applications, requirements and other information about the internship program at DIS can be found at

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