An internship is an experience in which a high school student takes a responsible role as a worker in a company or organization and then reflects on the experience. The Internship Program is a supplement to formal classroom instruction. It intends to significantly add to the instructional program's vitality and impact a student's courses. The Wake County Public School System requires all students enrolled in a Career Academy to complete an internship before graduation to graduate with the academy distinction. Most students choose to complete their internship in the summer between their junior and senior years.  

Expected outcomes of this experience for the students include:

• Increased self-esteem and personal growth derived from successfully meeting new interpersonal and intellectual challenges.
• Acquired new skills and knowledge.
• Increased exposure to various work roles and career choices.
• Increased understanding of the relationship between school-based learning and work experience.  
• Increased opportunities for high school students to explore areas of academic career or service interest.
• Development of positive relationships between the internship program, the school, and the community. 

 

The goals of the internship program are to help the student:

• Develop good work habits. 
• Experience personal growth.
• Strengthen communication skills.
• Gain an awareness of the community's vast resources and the world of work.