Senior year is all about figuring things out—whether or not you want to go to college, where you should go to college, what you want to do in life, and which friends you want to keep after graduation. These are all things you will think about, but the question you’ll hear most is: What do you want to do after graduation?
Many people already think they know what they want to do. They find an interest in something and think that that is what they will be able to deal with and pursue for the rest of their life. However, they may end up spending thousands upon thousands of dollars for college and a degree that they might never use because the time you truly start learning about their future line of work is during junior year and hands-on begins in senior year and you might realize after all that time of learning to become a teacher that you hate kids. All of a sudden you have wasted years of your life figuring this out when you could have just figured it out in high school.
In Westwood Regional High School, there is an option for those with the time to do a Work Based Learning internship at a business of their choosing. Options range from cook to vet assistant, and if they don’t have something appealing to you, you can always bring in a company that is willing to take you in as an intern. This will help you understand whether you like the line of work that you are entering or choosing to enter during college. It can save you so much money in the end. Not only does it help you choose your major in college and even your future career, having an internship on your resume or college application is a great look for you. It shows that you are already putting in the extra work and learning skills that can help you in your major.
I had an internship in the Mental Health Services Industry and I want to become a therapist. This was a real test for me; I wasn’t upfront with the patients but instead I was in the background inputting forms into each patient’s portals, marking down whether they attended their appointments or not, and just generally doing work for the therapists and psychiatrists. I learned a lot about the background work that goes into a business like this. It was a great learning experience and I am further excited to get into this field of work.
Doing an internship is also a great way to build your network of people. You may meet a professional who can provide you mentorship, career advice, or even future job opportunities. Your internship supervisor could also help and give you a strong recommendation to colleges for you which may also be a great look for you. Having good networking opportunities and great people in your network may save you a lot of trouble in the future, if you have the right contacts you may be able to enter right into your next job without a long process of applying and interviewing for other jobs.
During your internship, you will have the opportunity to build skills needed in your workforce, skills that you may not learn until you are working hands-on, having these skills early can set you apart from the crowd. While you learn these skills you are also gaining real-life experiences, like what it is like to have a boss and what ways are best to communicate with other people. You also learn what it’s like having to deal with frustrating people and how to navigate hard situations or conversations. During your internship, you might also get a boost of confidence in yourself because you finally found something that you love and are good at and can be praised for. Not everyone is good at school but you may be good at plumbing and being able to do something like that during school hours may make you feel better about yourself.
Lastly, you may be more applicable to receiving certain scholarships. There are scholarships out there that prefer giving their awards to students who already have hands-on experience. It shows how hardworking the student is and how much they have taken control of their own life. Additionally, some internships may be used for college credits or potential pay. Some internships offer high school credits as well making them both educationally and financially beneficial.
If you are entering your senior year and have mainly elective classes as well as knowing what you may want to major in or work in an internship is a good choice for you. There are multiple ways it can benefit you and it may just be the next step for you in boosting your plans for the future.