Julie Bowen

It is important to provide feedback both in an ongoing basis as well as determined intervals; you do not want to leave things that should be addressed immediately for the end.  You also want to provide positive feedback immediately as well.  It is very important to evaluate based on the objectives, and to look not only at the academic side of things, but the "soft skills" of the studen intern.  These skills are very important to develop in preparation for college and career.

Internships provide invaluable practical experience that support what has been learned in the related classroom and can be put into practice.  It should also provide a safe place for asking questions, getting support and growing in confidence.  Interns should set goals, however, and outline how they plane to achieve them by setting small objectives.

There needs to be an open line of communication between the coordinator and site supervisor, in order to provide the intern with the most engaging experience possible.  As mentioned, site supervisors need to alert intern coordinators if something is not going well as it needs to be addressed immediately. This is the time in which the intern can make some small mistakes and learn from them, within reason, but it absolutely needs to be addressed. Communication needs to always be modeled.

Having a contract and expectations for all involved at the get is very important.  Everyone involved should have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives for the internship program.  Everything needs to be covered; from how to contact you, to what to do in an emergency, and making sure interns visit prior to first day (and know where the bathroom is and where they will eat lunch). Trust me, high school students will not ask these two things, but it is weighing heavily on their mind!  Also, having easy to understand forms for evaluation and check in is essential,… >>>

There is definitely a difference between having an intern, where they just do busy tasks; and having an intern that is brought in and is a part of the team-respected/taught/modeled for/etc. The intern host has a responsibility to the intern to provide them with a rewarding experience, one in which the student has takeaways and  is allowed to  grow.  The intern has a responsibility to the site and host to be professional, prompt, and part of the team as well.  This partnership needs to be explicitly laid out from the beginning, in order for all parties to benefit from an… >>>

Internships provide a student with the opportunity to take what they have learned in the confines of the classroom and put it to practical use. They are able to demonstrate their knowledge in the workforce, while still receiving support and encouragement; as long as the parties involved work to provide a "good fit" for student and intern site.  Having the internship experience is yet another way to prepare our students to be career ready, while working on the skills that they so often lack-communication/teamwork/social skills, etc.