By Andrea Conner, Loveland Director of Secondary Programs
What do I want to do with my life?
At the Loveland City School District, we know this question is one of the most difficult for our high school students to answer. When it comes to making post high school investment decisions – with the overwhelming amount of student-loan debt – finding an answer can quickly cause extreme stress for our students and their families, as they want to make the right decision the first time.
Perhaps you can help?
One way to assist high school students and their families with these difficult decisions is to expose students to their areas of interest through internship opportunities.
One way to assist high school students and their families with these difficult decisions is to expose students to their areas of interest through internship opportunities. These experiential learning connections give students the opportunity to weigh in on the requirements of the position before they enter college and accumulate insurmountable debt. While these experiences may solidify students’ decisions, it’s even more powerful when students decide the career field is not for them.
The Loveland City School District is embracing this initiative to not only provide these rich opportunities for our high school students, but to also increase partnerships with area businesses to bridge the gap between the education and the workforce needs of our community. Business partners experience several benefits such as creating positive mentoring relationships with high school students, increasing the opportunity for a more positive community workforce and potentially training future employees.
Once a partnership has been created between the district and the school, the designated representative from the business will help design the internship experience for the students. Upon the completion of at least twenty hours of work, students should have comprehensive exposure to the various skills needed to be successful in the chosen internship rotations.
Currently, Loveland City School District has formal agreements with The Little Miami River Chamber Alliance, NEST Learning Center and The Clermont County Extension Office. The district also works with First Star Logistics through a paid internship initiated by the business. As the district’s goal is to grow the internship program for our Tigers, we are still looking for business partners to help enrich the newly established academic pathways.
Our ultimate goal is to provide the most inclusive educational experience for our young people that will not only secure futures for them, but will also enrich our Loveland community.
If you would like to learn more about Loveland City School District’s internship programs or would like to discuss an internship placement for a high school student, please reach out to me at 513-683-5600 or [email protected].
