#NAFNext2014

Providing Students a Quality Internship:Keys to Success

ERICH DE LA FUENTE

Chief Executive Officer – EDF Communications NAF National Advisory Board Member Alumni Leadership Council Chair Advisory Board Leadership Council Miami-Dade County Academy of Hospitality and Tourism

Advisory Board Member NAF NEXT Alumni Award 2012 Graduate of 1989 NAF Academy

WHO WE ARE

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KIT BECNEL

AOIT Director - Carencro High School 10 Years, Lafayette, LA NAF Advisory Board Leadership Council 3 years

(Academic Support Officer 2 Years) NAF Network Leadership Council 2 Years Janet Linton Award 2010 NAF Distinguished Academy 2009 Distinguished NAF Design Studio 2009 Aldo Papone Award 2007

WHO WE ARE

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Carencro High School

Student body 1096 (Comprehensive High School) Title I – (62%) Free and Reduced Lunch 56% Non-White / 44% White 48% Female / 52% Male Students with disabilities 17%

Academy of Information Technology

Student body 156 (Four year curriculum) Title I – (62%) Free and Reduced Lunch 38% Non-White / 62% White 35% Female / 65% Male Students with disabilities 2%

DEMOGRAPHICS

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Internships are part of a continuum of work-based learning Internships are compensated Internships address education equity Internships are based on identified youth interests and learning

objectives Internship experiences align with academic learning Internships produce valuable work that furthers employers’

organizational goals All participants are prepared for and reflect upon internship

experiences Systems are in place to support internship participants throughout the

experience Internships are assessed against identified youth interests and learning

objectives Internships occur in safe and supportive environments

NAF GOLD STANDARDS

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100% success rate in achieving compensated internships since the year of inception 2004 including 504 and special education students

Internship program takes place during the 1st five weeks of the summer break between the junior and senior year of high school

Average summer internship class: 25 – 33 33% of interns are asked to continue their internship

AOIT INTERNSHIPS

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StudentsCurriculum Preparation

Is your curriculum in line with local business/industry needs?

Be flexible-meet the academic standards/outcomes but flexibility in the curriculum is needed

Ensure students’ skill sets are useful in the workforce and meet the local community’s needs

Century 21st and soft skills are integral

PREPARATION

DirectorAssessment Meeting

Reach out to your local businesses to find out what are their workforce needs

Let them know your program is interested in helping fill those needs

Make them a stakeholder in their future workforce

Let them know about the internship program but don’t hard sell it

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BUSINESSES Identify areas in your company where intern can contribute to

the business while obtaining a valuable experience

Task a company executive to serve as your internship liaison to the local academies in your areas

Conduct a meeting with Academy Director(s) and/or Advisory Board Members from which you are planning to hire interns

PREPARATION

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StudentsPre-Internship Assessment

Meet with students individually as they fill out their own self assessments

Discuss the internship and ask is it in line with their career path

Create an action plan with director

Evaluate and use this assessment in placement studying their career path with possible or currently established internships

ASSESSMENT

DirectorManaging Expectations

The director and a community business partner meet with interested sponsors

A clear picture of what the business expects from the intern and what the intern expects from the business is formed

This step is an essential part of a long term partnership

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BUSINESSES

Convey clear expectations of what the company expects from the intern and what the programs expect the students to gain from the internship experience

Develop a detailed job description for interns including job performance evaluation metrics; highlight necessary skills for the job and salary expectations

Ensure that job description is posted on the company’s website and communicated appropriately to the academies; also provide company’s policies and regulations

ASSESSMENT

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StudentsInternship Prep

Internships require preparation on both the student and parent’s part

Set expectations now. Hold mandatory meetings (7 months and 6 weeks prior) to internship

Fill out necessary paperwork early Hard deadlines Internships are SERIOUS business

RIGHT MIND SET

DirectorInternship Recruitment

Now that you have begun to establish a relationship with local businesses, reconnect with them in 6 months

Emphasize that they are the driving force in the community and if they want quality workers, then participation in education is a must

The internship program is a way for them to gauge strengths and weaknesses of the future workforce

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BUSINESSES

Understand that the private-public sector partnership is essential to NAF’s success: good education and work experience will lead to a higher quality work force

Think of interns as potential future employees at your company Give interns opportunity to learn and grow

Hold interns accountable for their responsibilities

Internships are a practical and cost-effective way to evaluate a potential employee

This is an opportunity to establish a long-standing win-win relationship with the academies in your area

RIGHT MIND SET

StudentsFaculty Input

Director meets with other faculty members to begin placing students with internships according to skills sets

Students must have the correct skills as well as the necessary soft skills in order to be successful in their position

A good match is a HUGE KEY to a successful internship experience for both the intern and provider

MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES

DirectorCommunity Partner / AB

Community partners can assist at this phase in the placement process

They will offer great insight as to the state of modern business practices, workplace culture, expectations, etiquette and necessary skill sets

Send 2 – 3 prospective interns to interview

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Attempt to place interns based on:

Student interest Student strengths in particular academy themed areas Special needs of students/collaboration with Special Education

Facilitator Internship provider attitudes and expectations Job description of internship provider

MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES

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BUSINESSES Set up formal review process of all CVs provided to select the

best candidates based on the skills required for the position

Manage the process as you would do for candidates applying for a regular position

Have at least one other company executive (preferably from the division intern will work) interview the intern candidate

Upon obtaining feedback from your team, conduct personal interviews of the top candidates and select the best candidate(s)

MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES

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StudentsSpring Meeting

(4-6 Weeks Prior)

Parents and students must attend a mandatory meeting in the spring

This meeting covers the school policies, paperwork, curriculum, grading, etc.

It also helps the parents with what is expected of them through the duration of the internship

PRIOR TO INTERNSHIP

DirectorLast minute details

At this point, the sponsoring businesses should be 100% on board

Businesses should know what to expect from their intern and what the intern should expect from them

Any last minute details can be addressed during this time

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BUSINESSES

Either you or direct supervisor overseeing the interns’ work should communicate with the intern to establish:

Starting date Review job descriptions and responsibilities Appropriate work attire Compensation procedures Job performance evaluation tools and metrics

PRIOR TO INTERNSHIP

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StudentsStudent Engagement

Students report back to the director daily via online blogs

It is important for the director and faculty to watch for changes in posts that would indicate a negative experience or workplace situation

Students document their work

DURING THE INTERNSHIP

DirectorBusiness Engagement

The director and faculty visit with the internship providers and interns every other week

The key –partnership interaction between the academy and the businesses is crucial for this partnership to succeed in the future

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Academy faculty visit both the intern and work supervisor bi-weekly

Initial visits allow for clarification of work supervisor duties

Individual conversations with both the intern and work supervisor allows each to speak frankly about the internship

Special visits occur when the work supervisor reports a problem or when we discover issues on the job

Academy faculty counsels with the intern for as long or as many times as it takes to have a positive experience

Consider a special education specialist as an internship coordinator or provide a special task force to assist with special needs

DURING THE INTERNSHIP

BUSINESSES Assign tasks to the intern as you would any other junior

executive so he/she can learn the most from the work experience

Have intern participate in meetings and accompany you to events so he/she can experience the corporate world atmosphere

Establish a reporting mechanism with the intern to provide guidance as well as constructive feedback

Conduct regular meetings with the Academy Director to ensure all is going well

DURING THE INTERNSHIP

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StudentsPost Follow-up

Final Report - Students provide a final MLA report of their work experience including what they learned, research about the company, the challenges, successes and failures

Student reflection on their workforce experience

AFTER THE INTERNSHIP

DirectorPost Follow-up

Internship providers are acknowledged and thanked during the internship closing ceremony

The goal is for businesses to continue to be actively engaged partners supporting the academy during the year

Develop relationships instead of a once-a-year source for internship money

Ultimately, these partnerships will grow beyond just internships

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BUSINESSES Conduct a full evaluation of the intern’s job performance

Praise all positive aspects of his/her work Provide constructive feedback on areas that need

improvement and provide suggestion

Hold final meeting with Academy Director to provide full evaluation and provide recommendation

Get involved in your local academy in order to: Have better understanding of the program Select students with necessary skills for your company Give back to the community and positively impact students’

future

AFTER THE INTERNSHIP

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Documents and Other Resources:http://www.tinyurl.com/WBL-Carencro

RESOURCES & SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

Kit Becnel: kitbecnel@yahoo.comErich de la Fuente: erich@edfpr.com

THANK YOU