SJSU Course Offers Free Interns to Local Startups

Michael Ashley, a San Jose State University (SJSU) instructor, is launching a new course this fall, "Work in a Startup," that will provide local startups with free, dedicated teams of student interns. The course already has 30 students enrolled, with diverse skills ranging from engineering and business to design and communications.

Michael Ashley, an instructor at San José State University.

Unlike a traditional internship, this program operates as a class. Startups can submit up to three "micro-projects" that their business needs completed. Ashley will then assemble multi-disciplinary student teams to tackle these projects in three-week sprints, ensuring all three projects are delivered over the course of the fall semester.

"This is a unique opportunity for both students and startups," says Ashley. "Students gain valuable, real-world experience and class credit, while startups get projects completed at no cost and with minimal time commitment. The key is that we handle the management and supervision of the interns, so startups can focus on providing the project details and receiving the final results."

Ashley is currently seeking 3 to 6 more startups to participate in the program. Interested startups should contact him immediately to secure a spot and get their projects on the schedule. To learn more and host an intern, please reach out to Michael Ashley: michael.ashley@sjsu.edu