Ashland High School internship program proves valuable for students’ career exploration

ASHLAND — Landon Davis found his pathway to The Ohio State University’s visual communications design program thanks to an internship at Ashland High School.

Davis, a class of 2024 grad, took several courses in the arts and media arts in high school. But a senior-year internship with the Ashland City Schools district was a factor Davis pointed to as cementing his decision.

That internship was an option for Davis thanks to the school’s Learning Through Internship program. It has existed in some iteration at the school since the 1980s, according to Ashland High School business teacher and program adviser Kim Rogers.

It allows senior students to work at an internship, earning school credit, for up to three class periods during the school day.

Davis was able to create advertisements, graphic design and video production for the district through the internships. He also made the senior video for his class. Those experiences pushed him toward his The Ohio State University program. He hopes to earn a degree and make the world a better place through visual arts.

That story demonstrates the importance a hands-on learning experience can have when it comes to determining one’s future.

A Source Media Properties survey of 1,140 local high school students found they rated their own research as the most influential factor when choosing a career.

Still, for some students, those hands-on experiences can prove vital for choosing a future career. Thirty-eight percent of survey respondents said hands-on learning experiences, like internships, apprenticeships or career tech classes were either “very” or “extremely” influential in determining their future pathways.

Plus, students Source reporters spoke with almost universally said internship programs, hands-on courses or apprenticeships helped them narrow their options.

Having the chance to try your hand at something and decide whether you like it or not is crucial in a world full of many options, Rogers said.

“It’s hard,” Rogers said. “So hopefully (Learning Through Internship) just really helps them get some ideas.”

How the program works

Rogers has taught at Ashland High School since 1992. When she first started at the school, the program focused on giving young women a chance to train to become a secretary.

They learn by doing… and I think it’s because they chose it, so they’re interested in it.

Kim Rogers, ashland High Teacher

Learning Through Internship is a later iteration of that program. Rogers runs it, with support from the guidance office and administration.

Students can still hold internships where they’re learning the skills necessary to work as a secretary or in an office. They can also take other types of job, like the Davis internship in visual arts.

Students who register for the class find their own internships ahead of the school year. Once they’ve secured an internship, they must work a minimum of 12 hours per week at it, Rogers said.

They can do some of that work during the school day. Rogers said students are most often released in the afternoon for the program. They can have between one and three periods dedicated to their internship.

Students are graded by their workplaces on a scale Rogers provides.

The grades factor in an evaluation of interns on several characteristics like dependability, quality of work, professional attire and problem-solving skills. Rogers also provides space for employers to write feedback about students’ strengths, and areas where they can improve.

Interns earn school credit as part of the program. Many interns get paid, too.

Beyond that, Rogers said they learn skills that make them valuable in the future workplace. Those skills range from showing up on time to answering a phone.

For students and businesses alike, Rogers said, it’s often been a positive experience.

“They learn by doing … and I think it’s because they chose it, so they’re interested in it,” Rogers said.

Still, Rogers said she has had the occasional instance of a student who hasn’t been a good fit for the program. In those cases, the student does not complete their internship. More often, Rogers said, students do good work and provide positive reviews at the year’s end.

She also values relationships the program has built with area businesses over the years.

What do employers say?

Michelle Aber, Valley Transportation’s office manager, has hired interns from Ashland High School since the 1980s. That’s before the current iteration of the program existed.

She had more than one intern who ended up staying in her office and working at Valley Transportation for years after they completed their internship.

But for Aber, that changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she didn’t have interns for years post-COVID.

“It did impact us when I couldn’t get anybody in 2020,” Aber said. “I was very short-handed.”

Post-COVID, Aber said she’s noticed students struggle with some skills, like communication.

A Source Media Properties survey of 94 local business owners indicated that skill is one that’s in high demand, with 91.5% of respondents across industries listing it as important. Yet, 55.3% of survey respondents also said people skills were hard to find in employees.

Still, Aber views the program as a positive one. Aber said high school students are easily taught when it comes to learning the office’s operations the way she wants. She has been glad to provide them real-world experience, and they leave with better communication skills.

Heather Green and Rosemarie Macnamara, both secretaries at Ashland High School, said they’ve also had positive experiences with the program. They’ve had students intern in the front office of the school for as far back as they can remember.

Nowadays, Green and Macnamara have students who vie for positions in the office throughout their high school careers. Students know it’s an option for them. The secretaries said their interns typically come in a bit shy about tasks like answering the phone, but improve at it over the course of the year.

Students also learn about keeping time cards, direct deposits and managing their money with the pay they receive from Ashland City Schools.

Changing the game

Stacy Schiemann, head of Ashland United Way, said her office has had four interns over the years. They’ve all gained skills throughout their time in the office.

“I think it’s such a valuable program because if students take it seriously, they can just really grow during it,” Schiemann said.

Last year, Schiemann said United Way had an intern, Mackenzie Parsons, who changed the level of responsibility United Way will offer its interns in the future.

United Way began with assigning Parsons office work like putting stamps on mailers, but eventually gave her larger projects like designing social media posts.

Schiemann added Parsons brought social media skills and a young perspective to the office that proved valuable.

Parsons told Ashland Source in the spring that she planned to attend Miami University to study supply chain management and fashion corporate.

She hopes to become a corporate fashion buyer in the future. Fashion is something Parsons said she turns to for confidence — and even propelled her to take the internship at United Way.

Parsons said that confidence got a boost at United Way, as her co-workers complimented her for the way she presented herself.

Schiemann said after Parsons’ year in the Learning Through Internship program, United Way invited her to stay on throughout the summer and has given her an open invitation to return for temporary work when she returns home from college.

She also said in the future, United Way will continue to take the same approach it took with Parsons. That means assigning bigger projects to its interns, and offering them more opportunities to demonstrate their skills.

Schiemann recommended other businesses give students a try via internships. United Way has never been hurt by bringing on an intern. But seeing the impact the company had on Parsons proved powerful for Schiemann.

“I just think it’s a good program for people to be open and businesses to be open to taking students on and helping to launch them into careers,” Schiemann said.