From Classroom to Career: Ohio High School Tech Internship Bridges Education-Industry Gap

The High School Tech Internship program is a new initiative by the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, which will provide real-life experience and on-the-job technology training to 10 high school students. This program aims to reimburse employers in Ohio who host high school interns in technology-focused positions. By giving businesses access to talented young tech professionals while also providing valuable work experience for students at a young age, the program seeks to bridge the gap between education and industry.

The selected interns will work closely with Licking Heights’ district technology team, a five-person internal office that manages the cybersecurity and technology operations of all schools and buildings from PreK to 12th grade. Interns will be treated as entry-level tech employees and will have the opportunity to learn in-demand skills such as data, cloud and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband/5G, and advanced mobility.

The inaugural class of Licking Heights technology interns includes Alex Bastola, Brooks Girum, Albert Holland, Zoe Kubinsky, Himanshu Mandal, Alina Mangeni, Brent Mathias, Emily McCord, Lily Wahl, and Lucas Wells. Some students are using this internship as a stepping stone towards their future careers in tech. For example, McCord plans to attend Ohio State University for computer science and engineering to become a cloud security analyst. She is excited about this opportunity because she believes it will help her gain practical skills and experience that she can use in her future career path. Similarly, Mandal is interested in chip research and manufacturing and hopes that this internship will help him gain the necessary experience to work with central Ohio companies like Intel after college.

Overall, the High School Tech Internship program is an excellent way for high school students to gain practical skills and experience in the technology field while also providing businesses with talented young professionals who are eager to learn and contribute to their organizations. By bridging the gap between education and industry through programs like this one, we can set our young people up for future success in their careers while also benefiting businesses across Ohio.