TGIF!
Lots of good discussion about internships this week as we continue to talk with local businesses. What kinds of preparation will 14- and 15-year-old students need to be ready to contribute at a professional level? What kinds of jobs, roles, or projects could businesses see our high schoolers performing? We hear the same things over and over again – employers need critical thinking, problem solving, and communication!
How can students prepare for internships?
It turns out, preparing for and acquiring an internship is a process with almost as much benefit as the learning that comes from the internship itself! At Acton Academy, advisors support students to find and secure their internships on their own. Here are some nuggets from their process:
1. Digging deeply into your gifts, activities that bring you joy and deep burning needs in the world to create a prioritized list of apprenticeship possibilities.
2. Writing a compelling introductory email to a business owner you see as a hero or role model, asking for a short phone call to explain the Acton apprenticeship model.
3. Crafting a phone pitch explaining how apprenticeships work, including a promise to show up early, work late and do whatever it takes to add real value, and asking for a chance to meet in person.
4. Creating an in-person pitch, where you ask for a chance to prove yourself.
5. Learning to manage a portfolio of apprenticeship possibilities, just in case your first choice runs into logistical problems.
6. Negotiating a contract with your employer and parents to make sure goals and promises are clear.
7. Having a plan to add value in the first few days and a way to capture the lessons you learn.
8. Following up with thank you letters and a request for a reference letter.
Learning Links
Elon Musk – the importance of Why to learning
Todd Rose – high school dropout turned Harvard professor on why no one anywhere is average – and why education needs to change to reflect that
Benefits of Social/Emotional Learning – in life and in academics too
In closing….
And today it begins… welcome to Coast Guard Festival everyone! Get out and enjoy this crazy vacation in our own backyard.
Kim
Imagine! West Michigan 