Guide To Internships For High School Students

Time is money! It’s a phrase we often hear, and it applies to everyone. If you’re still enjoying your high school days without a care, it’s time to get serious and apply for an internship. 

Why? 

Well, internships offer real-world experience and help you develop valuable workplace skills. It also allows you to explore your potential and discover different fields of study. In short, internships can be a game-changer for your future.

In today’s competitive world, high school students are increasingly seeking opportunities to gain real-world experience and explore their interests before heading off to college or entering the workforce. 

Internships can be an excellent way for you to bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical application before heading off to college or entering the workforce. 

Moonpreneur provides a step-by-step roadmap to help you secure and maximize your internship experience.

Before we move ahead, let’s skim through the benefits of High School Internships:

1. Exploring career interests: Internships allow students to test their interest in a particular field and gain insights into potential career paths.

2. Developing valuable skills: It is a prolific platform for hands-on experience and a fruitful opportunity to develop essential skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. 

3. Building a professional network: The workplace is a fertile networking landscape for students, where they can benefit from connecting with professionals in their chosen industry. This connection opens doors to future opportunities and mentorship, enhancing their career prospects.

4. Enhancing college applications: Internship experiences can make a student’s college application stand out by demonstrating their motivation, initiative, and commitment to learning beyond the classroom.

How should you start your internship journey? 

Here are the steps that you can follow

Step 1: Identify your potential, skill sets, and area of interest

To make informed choices before pursuing internships, high school students can embark on a journey of self-discovery. 

• Explore passions, strengths, and areas of curiosity: Engage in self-reflection to identify what truly excites and motivates you, considering your natural abilities and subjects that spark your interest.

• Identify skills through self-assessment and feedback from others: Evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, and transferable skills by assessing your abilities and seeking input from mentors, teachers, or peers.

• Explore various industries, roles, and career pathways: Research different industries, job roles, and potential career paths to comprehensively understand the opportunities available and align them with your interests and goals.

• Engage in community service to test interests and gain experience: Volunteering in areas related to your interests allows you to gain practical experience, discover new passions, and positively impact your community.

• Spend time with professionals in desired fields for firsthand exposure: Do you know about job shadowing experiences? It is one of the best ways to observe and learn from professionals working in the industries and roles that interest you, gaining valuable insights into the day-to-day realities of those careers.

Step 2: Identifying Internship Opportunities

• Start early: Tomorrow never comes. So, start instantly without any dillydallying. Researching and applying for internships well in advance will enhance your chances of securing a position.

• Leverage personal connections: Contact friends, family, teachers, and community organizations to inquire about internship opportunities.

• Online resources: Explore websites, job boards, and internship programs specifically designed for high school students, such as local business associations, non-profit organizations, and government initiatives.

Step 3: Preparing a Strong Application

Tailor your resume: Remember, you are a student, not a professional, so your resume should reflect your relevant coursework, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and previous work experience. Emphasize transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.

Step 4: Craft a compelling cover letter

Even today, a cover letter is essential to a job application. So, express your interest in the specific organization and explain how an internship aligns with your career goals. Showcase your enthusiasm and eagerness to learn without going overboard.

Step 5:Collect letters of recommendation

Request letters of recommendation from teachers, mentors, or employers who can speak to your character, work ethic, and potential.

If all five steps are in place, you are good to go.

Making the Most of Your Internship

An internship should not be an aimless time pass; rather, it should be a concrete step toward your future. To achieve this, you need to follow the following steps:

• Set clear goals: Discuss expectations with your supervisor and outline specific objectives you hope to achieve during your internship. 

• Take the initiative: Demonstrate your enthusiasm and willingness to learn by seeking additional projects, asking for feedback, and taking on responsibilities beyond your initial tasks.

• Network and connect: Engage with professionals within the organization, attend company events, and build relationships with colleagues. Seek mentorship opportunities and ask for guidance.

• Reflect and learn: Reflect on your internship experience, identify your strengths and areas for improvement, and consider how this experience aligns with your career aspirations.

Wrapping Up and Future Steps

During your internship, developing and practicing basic professional etiquette is essential. Here are some critical etiquettes that you should strive to incorporate into your daily routine:

• Express gratitude: Send a thank-you note or email to your supervisor and colleagues, expressing your appreciation for the opportunity and the knowledge gained.

• Reflect on your experience: Consider the skills, knowledge, and insights gained during your internship as you continue to explore and refine your career goals.

• Request a letter of recommendation: If your internship experience was positive, politely ask your supervisor or mentor if they would be willing to provide you with a letter of recommendation for future opportunities.

• Update your resume and portfolio: Document your internship experience by updating your resume, creating a portfolio, or showcasing your work digitally.

Conclusion:

If the survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers is any indication, it reveals that 70% of interns receive job offers. However, a study by American Student Assistance in 2020 found that only 2% of high school students had completed internships.

Obtaining an internship may not be the main challenge; completing one can be more difficult. Considering that the future will undoubtedly be filled with challenges, embracing them and learning how to overcome obstacles starting from your internship experience is essential.

Moonpreneur is on a mission to disrupt traditional education and future-proof the next generation with holistic learning solutions. Its Innovator Program is building tomorrow’s workforce by training students in AI/ML, Robotics, Coding, IoT, and Apps, enabling entrepreneurship through experiential learning.