KPS3 Hosts Job Seekers for Reno Externship
Two dozen college students and mid-career professionals spent a day shadowing staff at KPS3's Reno agency as recent graduate unemployment reached 5.2%.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Internships
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About two dozen job seekers spent Friday at KPS3's Reno office in its ninth externship session since the program launched in 2022. Externs shadowed staff across account services, creative, PR, growth marketing and web development.
Why it matters
Unemployment for recent graduates ages 22-27 reached 5.2% in September 2026, compared with 4% for all workers, underscoring the difficulty early-career candidates face in entering the job market. Short, hands-on programs like this give participants direct exposure to working agency teams.
Since launching in 2022, the KPS3 externship has drawn more than 150 participants, with three hired as staff and five returning as boomerang externs. The source does not report how many externs have found jobs elsewhere.
The players
KPS3
KPS3 is a Reno-based marketing agency that runs an externship program offering hands-on exposure to its account services, creative, PR, growth marketing and web development teams.
The details
KPS3 offers the externship with no course credit, no guaranteed job offer and no promised portfolio piece. Externs kicked off at the Reno office and then shadowed staff across several departments, with time set aside for networking and questions.
Timeline
2022: KPS3 launched its externship program.
September 2026: Recent graduate unemployment reached 5.2%.
Friday, November 6, 2026: The ninth externship session was held at the Reno office.
Industry Dynamics
The externship responds to recent-graduate unemployment that reached 5.2% in September 2026, roughly 1.2 points above the 4% rate for all workers. KPS3's program, which has run nine sessions since 2022, offers hands-on exposure rather than guaranteed hiring.
Job seekers who want hands-on agency experience can sign up through KPS3's externship program, which carries no course credit or guaranteed offer. Participants should plan on shadowing several departments in a single day rather than receiving a long-term placement.
The takeaway
Short externships can give early-career candidates direct access to working teams when entry-level openings are scarce. Job seekers should weigh the lack of course credit and guaranteed offers against the networking and skills exposure the program provides.
Further reading
Explore more on Internships to see how short-term programs like this one compare across employers.
More information
Sign up for the KPS3 externship through the agency's website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nevada Business Magazine.
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