History

INROADS started in Chicago in 1970 with 25 interns and 17 sponsoring corporations. Since then the organization has grown to 51 affiliates and over 900 corporate clients throughout the United States, Mexico City, Mexico, and Toronto, Canada.

INROADS now develops more than 6,000 high school and college students through training and internship experiences. INROADS has received the U.S. Department of Labor LIFT Award in recognition of initiatives to enhance the quality of the American workforce. INROADS has also been cited as one of "America's Top 10 Internships."

Some 7,000 graduates are pursuing professional and management careers. Several dozen are corporate vice presidents, many are assistant vice presidents, three hold senior financial positions in city government, and several are successful entrepreneurs. Hundreds are at middle and upper management level in engineering, retailing, banking, accounting, manufacturing, and telecommunications.

For high school students, the Pre College Component combines intensive instruction in basic academic skills (math, science, English) with career guidance. The nine INROADS Pre-College Components work with 25 host universities and 805 high school students.

INROADS college internships combine two to five summers of work experience at a local client organization with year-round academic instruction, training, and coaching from INROADS advisors. Corporate clients make a  three-part commitment to the INROADS process: career-related summer work experience for interns; staff involvement as mentors, supervisors, and liaisons to INROADS; and financial support. Clients pays an annual sponsorship fee to INROADS and the intern's summer salary.

INROADS is tough, requiring a long-term commitment from both corporations and interns. College interns must complete their job assignments to clients' satisfaction. They must remain in good academic standing, participate in INROADS training and coaching, and set goals for their career, education, social development, and community service. Unsatisfactory performance in any area leads to dismissal.

Over the past five years, about eight of ten graduates who received full-time offers from the INROADS sponsor company accepted them. Nine of ten sponsors recommend participation to other companies, and alumni unanimously recommended INROADS to minority youth.  Both alumni and parents have organized nationally to support the organization and students.

INROADS is funded through fees from sponsor organizations, supplements by foundation grants, and contributions.