Internships
Can your business give a high school student the chance to learn from you the expert? Rapid City Area Schools offers students long and short term internships through established intern programs. Please add your name to our Internship Bank. To add your name to the Internship Bank, click
HERE to fill out the Partnership Agreement.
WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?
An internship provides an opportunity for a student to integrate work
and formal education under the guidance of a professional in his/her
career interest. It is also a chance to test career choice decisions.
Internships will be content based, skill related, academically substantive,
value related, and integral to the student’s academic or career choice.
The school coordinator will contact you and make arrangements for a
meeting which will include the student, the site supervisor, and your
school coordinator. Usually this initial meeting or interview will be
as brief as possible. This meeting is to ensure that all parties understand
what is required of the student, employer, and school.
WHAT IS A NON-PAID INTERNSHIP?
Rapid City Area Schools offer students many opportunities to explore careers while still in high school. These non-paid internships are offered as a general elective credit to be used toward graduation. In cooperation with business and industry, students are able to experience and develop the skills necessary to succeed in the workplace. Students are able to apply their formal classroom learning to actual career situations. Each program may have different student/employer requirements. A full description of these courses is listed below.
WHAT IS A PAID INTERNSHIP?
Rapid City Area Schools has a Career and Marketing Course offered at the Career Learning Center and a Work Experience Program offered at Stevens High School that offers a student both school credit and paid internships. The employer pays the cooperative work experience, in that the students receive a wage. Everyone can benefit from the work experience. This includes the student, the business community, and the school. Each program may have different student/employer requirements.
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EMPLOYER BENEFITS OF THE INTERNSHIP
- Internships are a great way to bring in talented students to contribute to the organization through their work, ideas, and new energy.
- Interns can provide additional support and increase your workforce, helping you accomplish the goals and mission of the organization.
- Internships give the opportunity to positively influence the education of new professionals in your field and transform them into possible future employees.
- Internships give businesses the opportunity to be partners in the education of students prior to entering the workforce.
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STUDENT BENEFITS OF THE INTERNSHIP
- To get hands-on experience within the student’s major field of study or career choice.
- To have the opportunity to explore a field or business to see whether or not current career plans or field of study are appropriate.
- To explore the benefits or pitfalls of their career choices.
- To find out how to prepare for a career path.
- To learn about the workplace skills needed to develop and build a strong resume.
- To develop a network of professional contacts for future opportunities and references.
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE EMPLOYER
- The intern will be assigned a mentor/supervisor. The
mentor/supervisor will be responsible for monitoring the progress of
the intern, sharing feedback, provide training, and assigning
meaningful projects and tasks. Students may perform some routine
office work, but these duties should not be the primary focus of the
experience. The mentor/supervisor will also be responsible for
completing an evaluation provided by the school program they are
enrolled in.
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Intern will be provided meaningful work assignments. Interns want an
opportunity to put into practice what they have learned in the
classroom. When creating assignments for the intern think about the
essential skills and experiences your organization seeks when hiring
an employee. Always emphasize the character traits emphasized in
the Pillars of Character. These are the skills and
experiences that need to be practiced by the intern.
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Prior to the intern starting work at your business or organization, your intern
will be provided with an orientation or a preparation class provided
by his/her school program. This class will include: Pillars of
Character, how to dress, etc.
- When meeting with the student’s school supervisor and your organization, you
should provide an orientation process including: workplace
environment, priorities of the organization, the staff, student’s
specific responsibilities, and the resources available to them. A
thorough orientation process will allow the intern to quickly become
a productive member of your team.
- Create a safe, respectful environment. A student should be treated as a
regular employee by his/her co-workers. It is important other staff
members are aware of the expectations and responsibilities assigned
to the student.
- Complete a performance evaluation.