CAREER PREPARATION PARTNER
INTERNSHIPS
Hire a K-16 Collaborative student as a paid intern for a minimum of 8 weeks. Internships are the gold standard of work based learning for a reason. Students who intern are more likely to be hired and receive higher wages. And companies enjoy significantly higher retention rates among employees who have interned - whether at their company or another.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Collaborative’s dozens of educational institutions and employer partners have established their own policies and procedures for internships, but the Collaborative does recommend the following baselines to ensure success.
Inclusive Recruitment and Preparation:
Employers: Leverage the Collaborative to source diverse, talented BIPOC students from the Bay Area’s largest connected network of schools. Utilize Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to augment targeted outreach and recruitment.
Educators: Provide pre-internship workshops on resume writing, interview skills, and workplace etiquette to prepare students for internship opportunities.
Mentorship and Ongoing Support
Employers: Pair interns with mentors who share students’ backgrounds and experiences, ideally through ERGs, to provide guidance, career advice, and regular check-ins throughout the internship.
Educators: Establish mentorship programs connecting students with faculty or industry professionals for continuous support.
Fair Compensation and Professional Development
Employers: Ensure fair compensation for interns, including stipends and other financial support. All Collaborative internships must be paid internships that provide compensation of at least $20/hr. Offer professional development opportunities such as workshops, seminars, and networking events.
Educators: Advocate for paid internships and provide students with access to career counseling and professional development resources.
Structured Learning and Development:
Employers: Design internships with clear, project-based assignments and defined learning objectives to ensure meaningful experiences. Offer pre-internship onboarding to familiarize interns with the workplace culture.
Educators: Align academic curricula with industry needs to equip students with relevant skills and knowledge for their internships.
Inclusive Workplace Culture:
Employers: Foster an inclusive workplace by providing cultural competency and anti-racism training for all employees, ensuring a welcoming environment for BIPOC interns. The Collaborative can also locate professionals to provide these training sessions.
Educators: Promote cultural competency within educational settings to prepare students for diverse work environments.
Feedback, Evaluation, and Pathways to Employment
Employers: Conduct regular performance reviews and exit interviews to gather feedback and continuously improve the internship program. Create clear pathways to full-time roles and provide job placement support, leveraging ERGs.
Educators: Monitor and evaluate student internship experiences, using feedback to inform program improvements. Assist students in identifying career pathways and provide job placement support through industry connections.