This is our third summer hosting interns at our office through SYEP (Summer Youth Employment Plan) and UAU (United Activities Unlimited). This is a great program to be a part of, and I would highly recommend any business owner or manager to try and get involved in this program. I also recommend this to high school students and that parents support their children.
The six-week stint at our office has always been beneficial to us and to the interns. So far, this year’s effort seems to be going well also. We train the employees in web design, video editing and other technical skills they need to contribute to the team. We are very proud that we are able to offer the interns real, meaningful work. We do not have the interns make copies, staple papers, or get us coffee. In addition to learning specific skills for our work, the interns learn more general skills, such as: working in a team, communicating, and being accountable. There is a difference in the degree of accountability a student has when he is at work vs. when he is in school.
The number one benefit is that students get to see what the real world is like and use this to guide their futures. It’s very possible that students who think they know exactly what they want to do with their lives have no idea what the day to day life is like for those professions. Job experience provides a great deal of knowledge that isn’t fully attainable from a book. Education happens outside of school. Education doesn’t just involve pens, pencils, textbooks, and workbooks.
