McCORDSVILLE — Student Painters, a summer internship program that provides management training opportunities to college students, is expanding its efforts to the Hoosier state.
Named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America in 2016 by Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000, Student Painters is an affiliate of Young Entrepreneurs Across America, and a Purdue University student is starting his business right in McCordsville.
Austin Boreani, 20, a sophomore studying aviation management, is one of about 50 college students from Indiana, Ball State and Purdue universities starting their exterior painting businesses through the organization, which promotes leadership and management skills. The students make minimum wage and are charged with hiring and managing additional help; they split the profits of jobs they complete.
Boreani of McCordsville is the regional manager for Student Painters, he said. He’ll be hiring painters and project managers, in addition to promoting his business and making connections through the end of the spring semester and throughout the summer, he said.
“Student Painters is a really good opportunity for me to grow as a professional and as a businessman,” he said. “I’m glad I took it.”
His business will primarily serve the 46055 zip code, but Boreani said he’s willing to provide exterior painting services to those outside of the area, including those in the eastern part of Hancock County. Jobs can range from power-washing and painting porches to large corporate contracts, Plunkett said; no job is too big or too small, but no interior painting is offered.
Michael Plunkett, the general manager for the Indiana division of Student Painters, oversees Boreani and the other students throughout the state participating in the program.
“We teach them to run their first-ever business,” he said. “Running a business teaches communication, time management and leadership. Those who get job interviews have hard skills like the degree, while the individuals who get jobs have those soft skills.”
Students who participate in the summer internship program earn minimum wage on top of the profits they make through their business, Plunkett said.
Student Painters was established in 1987 and has operated in Indiana in the past, he said. This is the first time in about five years the internship program has been offered in Indiana, he said.
Boreani said he believes the internship will afford him opportunities in the future.
“Not a lot of 20-year-olds can say they ran their own successful business,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to being able to put it on my future résumé.”
