As spring approaches, our minds turn to (slightly) longer days, baby bunnies and... planning for intern season. A good event planning intern is capable of so much more than tracking shipments and setting tables. And to help your intern get the most out of their time with you, it's best to really think through the tasks that will help him learn–now, while the ice is melting.

Your event planning intern's first day

Let's call your new intern Nick. He's pretty excited to get started! Nick studied hospitality, but he doesn't have much practical experience. That's why he's here! And in fact, he'll be finding out that the real-life event planning world is a whole different bagel. When Nick rolls in, spend some time going over all the projects he'll be working on for the next three months. Give him time-bound, structured projects that can be broken down into attainable pieces. This way he'll have the satisfaction (and résumé bullet) of having "owned" and completed something tangible... without being too overwhelmed.

1. Greenify your app

Going green at events is an imperative–and you can help attendees be more conscientious by letting them know about your efforts. Nick the event planning intern will use the event app to call attention to your waste-reduction programs.

Skills: Research Marketing Design (or collaborating with a designer) App-building

• Gather some stats about the impact your eco-efforts have made, create an infographic, and make it available in the event app.
• At the keynote lunch, let everyone know what is reusable, recyclable and compostable.
• Organize a group walk to the offsite cocktail hour, rather than a cab ride.
• Include green “hotspots” on the venue map in your corporate meeting app. Where are the water coolers, recycling/composting bins, mass transit, nametag collection bins? Mark them with a green icon so they stand out!

More tips for going green? We wrote an article all about it.

2. Overhaul your web presence

Skills: Branding Social media Copywriting

When people search for/find your business, what do they find? A fresh pair of eyes–like Intern Nick's–can spot outdated information, inconsistencies and missed opportunities, and attend to issues you might have been ignoring.

• Read our article on branding for events and learn about LinkedIn for your event planning business.
• Set up Google Alerts with your business name, any related terms and competitor names.
• Audit all social media presence for updated images, references and testimonials. While you're at it, open accounts on social sites using your business name–even if you're not using them now.

3. Build creative sponsorships

Skills: Marketing Partnerships Budgeting

Are you selling the same sponsorships year after year? Creative, well-tailored sponsor packages are the key to lasting relationships and higher dollar sales. Your event planning intern will love this project.

• Read our event sponsor ebook to get some ideas and see real-life examples/sponsor package suggestions.
• Create three packages that combine traditional advertising, a fun interactive twist, and digital banners.
• Price the packages appropriately, and reach out to partners to gauge interest.

These intern projects go beyond the basics, but they should be attainably challenging,  interesting. Best internship ever!