The Leadership Development/Internship/Apprenticeship course starts as a one-semester leadership development class that Park recommends you take in your sophomore year. Park then teams up with GPS (GPS education partners), which helps connect students to different internships, and Genesis Works, which offers professional interview and skills training. Once a student has acquired an internship/apprenticeship, they can get paid, while earning high school credit at the same time.
The career and college coordinator at Park, Kara Mueller, said a specific process goes into being hired as an intern. According to her, Park offers multiple different routes a student can take leading to various industries.
“We offer classes in the building that include engineering, manufacturing, computer science, construction, healthcare courses and business courses. Once they’ve taken one, two or more of those courses out of those departments, that’s what aligns them during that leadership class with the internship that they might be interested in,” Mueller said. “Then once you’ve taken that, all of a sudden you qualify to be placed in an internship. It’s not a given, because then you go on the process of applying, interviewing and then landing your paid internships.”
According to Senior Nate Nowak, he wanted to take the course and participate in an internship to gain a deeper understanding of what working in a workshop would feel like, and the business associated with it.
“I wanted to work (at Gustav Larson) because I wanted to learn more about (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and what it entails,” Nowak said. “At the internship, I get a deep understanding of the work that they do there, like selling and distributing HVAC materials, and that helps out in the future.”
Senior Max Olson said what you learn in your internships can’t be attained by just sitting in a classroom, and in some cases, students benefit from a learning opportunity outside the classroom.
“Anything trade-wise, you’re not gonna be able to learn in the classroom fully. If you go to trade school, you spend maybe two hours in the classroom and four hours in the shop,” Olson said. “So whatever you’re doing in the classroom, you’re gonna have to double in the shop if you want to obtain and learn the skill.”
Mueller said she recommends everyone take the course, as it offers students real-world experience outside of school. According to her, it gives them an idea of what they might want to do as a career in the future.
“The number one reason (to be in this program) is that it’s a real-world application. Number two, you don’t know what you don’t know,” Muller said. “So when students get to have opportunities to shadow somebody and learn about a career experience, something new they may say, ‘Oh, I did not like that,’ which is great. Now you know what not to touch.”
Nowak said while participating in his internship, he learned not just physical skills, but life lessons that he will take with him throughout other jobs later down the road as well.
“I got a deeper meaning of (HVAC) and how to fix and operate machines there, but more importantly it taught me accountability because people are counting on you to do your job and that’s an important skill to have later in life,” Nowak said.
Olson said his internship gives him an idea of what life could be like after high school and that his experience working right now might give him a leg up in the job market in the future.
“Anytime we have a break, I get to work full days. And that just puts me in the perspective of what life could be after high school,” Olson said. “A lot of people go to high school and they go and pick a major in college, but they don’t know what it’s like to work. But when you’re working from seven to four, seven to three thirty, you get a good idea of how the workplace is going to be when you’re older.”
Nowak said the advantages of the internships include getting a more involved experience in the field, as well as getting advice from experienced members of the workplace.
“It’s more hands-on, so you have a deeper understanding of the work,” Nowak said. “And people I’m working with have been in the business for 20-30 years, so they have a better understanding of what to do and they can teach it to me.”
According to Olson, he’s changed his mind about whether to pursue his internship or not after high school, but having the experience and skills as something to fall back on is important for the future no matter what you choose to pursue.
“Initially I wanted to pursue it, but then I thought college was more my route. Right now, (the internship) is a plan B. If college isn’t really what you’re feeling, I think it’s good to have a backup plan,” Olson said. “But most importantly, I think when you’re younger, it’s just important to obtain the skills and see what you can do and want to do in the future.”
Mueller said even if you don’t end up committing to an internship, she still recommends students take the leadership class that prepares them for it, as it applies to other things besides just an internship.
“Even if you choose not to do internship programs at the school, you have a heads up when you’re applying for any other job. You’re more prepared for interviews for any other job and it aligns with setting goals and identifying your skills, so you know how to brag about yourself. So you build (your) resumes, interview skills and beyond,” Mueller said.
