Whether your high school student wants to pursue college or start a career after graduation, summer internships is something worth putting on their radar. There are many benefits for taking advantage of internships and places in your community who may offer them. Below, we’ll look at the benefits of a summer internship and a few ideas for your high schooler to consider.
Benefits of Summer Internships
Participating in an internship isn’t a new concept; however, it doesn’t seem as popular as before. Although we don’t hear about them as often, they are still considered a powerful addition to a high schooler’s transcript and their toolbelt of life skills. Just to recap, an internship is-
“A period of work experience offered to a student, apprentice, or trainee to gain work experience or satisfy a certain requirement. Internships are generally fully-monitored learning experiences and may be paid or unpaid.” (first cited here)
With this in mind, let’s look at some benefits.
Summer Internships provide real-life experiences.
Sure, taking an online course and even attending a local community college class is beneficial, but if your student can get hands-on experience in their chosen field of study or career, that’s priceless. Colleges usually have students take a lot of classes learning the informational aspect of a job before they are released to actually put that knowledge to work. Internships combine the best of those worlds. Your student can gain knowledge and real-life experiences at the same time.
Summer Internships provide students with a head start.
One perk of being a homeschooler is being able to start taking college classes early, but the same can be said about giving your high schooler internship opportunities. The earlier they participate, the sooner they can begin learning more about their chosen career field. In some cases, internships can also be used to help a student solidify their future plans. There have been times when students participate in one and find out that it’s not something they are really interested in. This can save them a lot of time and from jumping majors once in college.
Summer Internships open networking doors.
You’ve probably heard stories about students starting a certain job, or internship, while still in high school and once they graduated, they were offered a full-time position (with the works). This is primarily because of the network and relationship built while the student was working part-time or as part of an internship program. Networks are also nice to have when creating a resume.
How to Find Summer Internships for Homeschool High School Students
Of course it all depends on where you live, but the suggestions below are ideas that you can find in just about any town.
Summer Camps
If your student is drawn to helping other children in some capacity, then being an intern at a summer camp is the way to go. Between church camps, 4-H camps, and other summer camps hosted by organizations in the community, your teen can hop on board of these to put themselves in the field they love. I’ve known several high school interns who went on to host their own summer camps and/or head up some of the most popular ones.
Zoos & Aquariums
Going to a far away country to take care of animals isn’t the only answer to the student who loves wildlife. With many zoos and aquariums nationwide, your student can find one and see if they offer an internship program. They’ll most likely have their lodging paid for and may even be able to make a little extra money on the side.
Political Internships
The field of politics is known to bring a lot of interns on board. From local policy-making to national level government affairs, you can find hundreds of political-related internships. Here are some of the most commonly sought after positions, according to internships.com:
- Political Science Intern
- Remote Pubic Policy
- Public Policy and Government Affairs
- Political Risk Intern
- Research Intern
Medical Intern Programs
Things may be much different because of the pandemic; however, this could also mean a rise in getting help in the medical field. If your student enjoys all things medical, then landing an internship at a local clinic, hospital, nursing home, etc. may be a good fit. Don’t hesitate to go outside the box and check with local organizations like the American Red Cross.
Career-based Ideas Programs
Encourage your student to reach out to local businesses and organizations within their chosen career field or field of study. Some students want to be mechanical engineers, barbers, or own a landscaping company. In these instances, have them research a few locally owned businesses to see if they can work out an internship-like program. It may not come with all the big perks of one like NASA, but the experience and expertise gained is still just as valuable.
Where to Look for Internships
For most summer internship programs, you can do one quick Google search. Below are a few places to help get you and your high school student started on looking for the right program for them:
As your homeschooler approaches high school, help them brainstorm things they’d like to do. Then, pitch the idea of doing summer internships. Using the ideas and suggestions above, help them begin to pinpoint a few places to start. They’ll enjoy have a “summer job” and you can rest easy knowing they are getting some valuable life skills and lessons under their belt.