Internships can help teens become job ready by developing workforce readiness skills and making connections that could lead to employment down the road.
The transition from high school or college to what’s next can be intimidating for many teens, especially as they’re taking on more adult responsibilities that will shape their futures. Do they have the right workplace skills to get a job? What job would be a good fit?
An internship is a great way to explore career interests and build skills to be job ready.
Tasks at an internship will depend on the company, but regardless of your age or the field you’re interning in, you’ll learn what the company is like, what type of work employees spend time on and how everyone’s efforts ladder up to the company’s goals.
Some teens start as early as high school to get an internship during their summers. Internships are a great way to explore a potential major or field that they are interested in pursuing but don’t know much about, in addition to being an awesome way to keep teens engaged and learning during the summer months. An added bonus to learning workplace readiness skills, sometimes internships can lead to teens finding a great mentor to help steer them in the right career direction. After all, in an internship, you’ll meet all kinds of people, from managers to Vice Presidents, and you’ll sometimes get experiences working with customers and clients.
For college students, an internship can also be a game changer when it comes to securing a job when teens are just a few months away from graduation.
There are two big reasons to get an internship:
In an effort to greater achieve equity, many companies now offer paid internships. This will usually be clear in the job description, and you can confirm in your questions about the role and the company following your interview (just make sure it’s not the only question you ask!).
Check out websites like LinkedIn, Indeed and Monster to help you or your teen secure their next internship. Pro tip: Be sure to check out the career pages on company websites of companies you’re interested in.
And be sure to prepare for your interview – check out these interview tips to know what to expect, what to do and how to follow up afterward to ensure you get the internship.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides workforce readiness programs and mentorship that help young people build communication skills and confidence, as well as explore career options and prepare for the workforce. Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest resources and stories.