Several small businesses are finding there are somes positive to the current economy, including a bigger pool of people available for internships (Click here).

Large employers have decreased internships by about one-fifth this year, mostly due to recession-related budget cuts. At the same time, however, demand for internships is increasing for students who often need internships experience to graduate or secure their first job.

"It's a good opportunity for small-business owners," Keith Ashmus, chair of the National Small Business Association, told The Wall Street Journal.

Ashmus, co-founder of Frantz Ward LLP, a law firm in Cleveland, said the firm's ongoing paid internship program has been attracting higher-caliber candidates as a result of larger firms making cutbacks.

Joanna Pineda, Chief executive of Matrix Group International, Inc. in Arlington, Va., said she is now considering offering a yearlong paid internship in addition to the company's summer internship program for high school and college students.

"The latest crop of interns was amazing," she said.

Tony Pals, spokesman for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, said that even though larger companies tend to have more brand-name recognition, some interns enjoy the less bureaucratic nature of small companies.

A smaller business allows interns to become more involved, even supporting projects that might be put on hold otherwise. Interns also often serve as good future recruits for small businesses. As it's often costlier and riskier to hire permanent staff, hiring an intern is an easy way to try someone out and see how they would fit in the business.

On top of that, setting up an internship program doesn't require a lot of investment, time or money from an employer. The most important part is to find good candidates and be able to manage those candidates.