“For these students to gain real life experiences in the community is just huge,” Internship Coordinator Sarah Lemon said.
Students from six Clark County districts are participating in the program, including the Springfield City, Clark Shawnee, Greenon, Southeastern, Global Impact STEM Academy, and Clark County CTC school districts.
MORE: Springfield STEM school gets $6.3M expansion
Each student had to submit an application to be considered for the program, Lemon said, and a committee reviewed them.
“I hope that they walk away from this program really gaining real life work experience,” she said, “but also knowing what is in the community in Clark County and that there is opportunity here.”
About 45 of the students selected met at The Greater Springfield ConnectED Center on Thursday to talk with HR representatives from local companies and receive advice on their resumes and interview skills.
“They’re really bright students,” said Jeannie Seery, an HR representative from McGregor Metalworking Companies. “So they’re already coming to us with a lot of skill that you wouldn’t imagine as a high schooler.”
She worked with students on how to organize and set their resume’s apart from others.
“It’s a phenomenal experience,” she said. “We get as much out of it as a company as what the students get out of it.”
McGregor was one of the first companies to participate in the program, she said, and plans to continue to participate well into the future. This year 45 businesses are involved in the program.
The company has stuck with students for several years, she said, in hopes they’ll choose to work there after graduation.
“We’re hoping down the road that some of them will return to us,” she said.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE MOBILE APPS FOR LATEST BREAKING NEWS
That’s part of the mission of the program, Lemon said, to prevent what she called “brain drain” in the community — Students who leave the area for college or work after graduation and don’t return.
Students have the chance to intern in several fields they may not know are available to them in Clark County, like health care, cyber security and traditional manufacturing.
Christopher Hile, a senior at Shawnee High School, interned at the Springfield Museum of Art last summer. He hopes to study marketing in college.
“It’s a great experience,” he said. “I would recommend it to any student that’s considering it.”
He plans to apply to the program again this year and said he hopes to find an internship that fits closer with his educational goals..
His friends in other nearby counties don’t have a similar internship program, Hile said.
He applied for six internships last year and was offered one, he said. Students should be prepared for rejection, he said.
“Just be yourself and just be relaxed,” he said.
Students in the program will be required to complete customer service and OSHA workplace certifications at Clark State Community College before their interviews. Each student will be paid for their work.
By the numbers:
60 — high school students selected to participate in internship program
6 — school districts that participate in the program
45 — businesses that will participate in the internship program
COMMITTED COVERAGE: The Springfield News-Sun is committed to covering important economic and educatonal issues in Clark County.
About the Author