Hunt Valley Rotary Internship Network Partnership

The Hunt Valley Rotary and the School-to-Career Transition Departments of the Central-Area schools in Baltimore County are partnering to connect quality interns with forward-thinking business partners in Hunt Valley, Towson, and the surrounding areas. This connection will take place the first week in June, 2010 as a foundation for future education and business connections. We cordially invite interested business partners to participate in this Internship Fair (date to be announced).

Internships

An Internship is a carefully monitored, interactive experience in a workplace setting in which students have a defined learning focus and reflect actively on what they are learning throughout the experience. Students earn Honors or Gifted and Talented credit, reflecting the academic rigor required of college and high-level career areas. The Internship Program is designed for college-bound students who would like to gain skills in a specific career field. The benefits are many, but specifically to help students learn if the selected career path is a good match for their skills, interests, and abilities. The Internship also allows them to gain experience in developing the skills, knowledge, and contacts for personal success. Interns sample a career by going to a workplace setting with an assigned mentor for two periods a day. Interns attend bi-weekly seminars, establish a portfolio, maintain a journal, and complete an internship project.

Mentors

Mentors are a vital link between school and work. By becoming a partner in Baltimore County’s School-to-Career Transition Internship Program, mentors are making an important investment in the future workforce of Baltimore County. The experience mentors provide will have long-term effects on students’ self-esteem, attitude toward work, and career ambitions. Mentors have the potential to help students develop a sense of responsibility, master workplace-readiness skills, and experience the pleasure of a job well done. The mentor will be the intern’s role model, will assign and explain projects and tasks, and will help the intern develop good work habits and skills. The Internship will serve as an extension to the intern’s Program of Study, which connects classroom learning to workplace performance. Mentors are coaches; Interns are learners. To ensure a successful match, clear and specific information about the internship placement is required. Key elements to a successful match include appropriate interactive work tasks and the mentor’s ability to coach students during the experience. Each of these elements should be addressed as placements for interns are considered within participating organizations.