With summer coming to a close and students returning to classrooms, many of them will be asked a common question: “So, what did you do over summer vacation?” How many teens will say that they had the chance to earn workplace experience while gaining insight into what they would want to do in the future?
Work-based learning opportunities, such as internships, are a great way for students to learn more about themselves, what they don’t like to do, and what they’re passionate about. In fact, 87% of learners who have completed a high school internship experience feel that their time as an intern helped them understand the type of career they want to pursue.
However, while 79% of high schoolers would be interested in a work-based learning experience, only 34% were aware of any opportunities for students their age, and only 2% of students had completed an internship during high school.
At Britebound, we strive to increase the amount of internship opportunities offered to young people. To that end, this summer we hired seven interns, all of whom were rising juniors, seniors, or college freshmen. For several weeks, they learned the ins and outs of working in an office, sat in on meetings, and completed crucial projects for their respective teams.
To gain further insight into what our interns experienced over summer, we sat down with them for a Q&A:
Why did you decide to do a summer internship?
“I decided to get a summer internship because I think having professional experience in a workspace is just as important as academic experience.” — ZiHua, 16, Strategic Initiatives Intern
“I decided to join a summer internship because I wanted real world experience in an office environment. It was a way for me to explore different career paths and build my network.” — Aurianna, 18, PR & Communications Intern
What were you most looking forward to doing/learning at the beginning of your internship?
“I was looking for a real Information Technology experience, learning about the work environment and tech in general. I wanted to make sure that IT was what I really wanted to do.” — Elian, 18, Technology Intern
What did you most enjoy doing/learning during your internship?
“During my internship, I enjoyed going to meetings the most, as I can interact with other people, and it’s a great way to improve my communication skills.” — ZiHua, 16, Strategic Initiatives Intern
“I enjoyed most seeing my social posts being uploaded to the company social pages. I felt proud of my work.” — Aurianna, 18, PR & Communications Intern
How did you feel working in an office environment?
“Working in an office environment gave me a reality on what the real world will likely look like, and frankly took away that fear of mine of working in an office. I feel like this is something that I could do in the future.” — Jassim, 17, Marketing Intern
“I felt comfortable in an office environment. I think work and company culture play a big role in creating a safe work environment for all. ASA did a great job at making us feel welcomed and included in the office setting. — Aurianna, 18, PR & Communications Intern
What’s a skill you learned that you think you could use outside of the workplace?
“I mastered how to use Excel spreadsheets and other work-related websites, such as Salesforce, etc., that I will use in the future.” — Jessie, 17, Philanthropy Intern
What surprised you most about working at Britebound?
“Something that surprised me the most was the friendliness of the people at work. I thought everyone was on their own side and not talking, but here at Britebound, everyone is sharing and working together to do their best.” — Elian, 18, Technology Intern
“Something that most surprised me was how passionate everyone was about their work at Britebound. In my previous jobs, it was sort of the norm to hate your job, but seeing everyone care so much about their work sort of made me feel better about my future — knowing that I can end up like them, in terms of passion.” — Nabil, 17, Research Intern
Did this experience impact your future plans (Ex., Did you decide what you wanted to pursue for your career, or did you decide what you didn’t want to do for work)?
“Yes, I believe this experience impacted my future plans positively. I was certain that Finance would be my future career, but after this internship, I’m certain that’s not going to be the case. I decided that I would do something along the lines of marketing then get into real estate after a few years using the marketing skills I’ll learn!” — Jassim, 17, Marketing Intern
What would you say to other high schoolers who are thinking about doing an internship?
“I would encourage every high school student to get an internship, not because it looks good on your college application, but having a job that aligns with what you want to do is very important, and having experience from a young age is beneficial for the future.” — Jessie, 17, Philanthropy Intern
Throughout the summer, our interns brought tremendous value to Britebound, while also getting the chance to network with their fellow employees, pick up critical durable and social emotional (SEL) skills, and learn more about what they want to pursue after high school. We encourage other businesses and organizations to consider giving high schoolers similar opportunities. They may be young, but they’re curious, industrious, entrepreneurial, and ready to learn.
