By Parnia Mazhar
Staff Writer
Through Costa’s new internship program, students are able to gain valuable job experiences and helpful advice as they go through the process of applying for internships. Within the next few years, more students should take advantage of this class as it will help them succeed after.
Costa created a new internship program this year to help students broaden their knowledge of the business world. Throughout the year, adviser Andy Caine and various guest speakers teach the class of 22 seniors how to thrive in their potential professions.
So far this semester, students have learned how to prepare presentations, communicate professionally and search for and apply to internships in their chosen fields. More than half of the students have already begun their internships, but the remaining seniors are still in the process of applying or interviewing. According to Caine, all students will ideally begin their internships at the start of the new year.
Although all students may not acquire their internships during first semester, the information learned during this time is still beneficial, as it helps students prepare for the challenge of applying for jobs.
For example, according to senior Armanace Sherman, Caine gave her advice to tailor each resume to the company she was sending it to, which helped her gain an internship at the University of Southern California. Learning this skill will not only help students find their current internship but will also serve as a tool to find future jobs.
According to Caine, within the first weeks of the course, students began self-reflection, taking various personality tests and surveys to help them become more aware of their skills and interests. These activities are integral to the program because they allow students to strategically zero-in on the specific internship that would truly suit them the best.
Currently, the class meets for an hour on Monday nights, and students are expected to participate in eight hours of an internship per week. Because the program meets after school and it is the students’ elective, it gives them the option to take only four periods per day to take part in internships. This is valuable in teaching students to balance their commitments.
According to some of the course’s students, originally the structure of the program was a bit disorganized, and information regarding matters such as deadlines and requirements was slightly inconsistent. Creating a finalized timeline for the course would benefit future students.
Overall, this program is beneficial to students wanting to gain hands-on experience in the workforce. During the class, students are able to discover which internship will best suit them and learn from experienced faculty. Caine’s internship program should expand in the future, allowing more students to take advantage of such a rewarding class.
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