Written by Makaylia Ocheskey, Pickens Executive Internship Program Student
April is Internship Awareness Month and Aurora Public Schools is excited to highlight the Pickens Technical College Executive Internship Program, which offers students hands-on experiences in their aspired professions.
Founded in 1991 by Theresa Murray, the program has helped more than 2,500 students further their knowledge and experience through classes and internships.
“We help students experience work in their desired career field so that they can make informed decisions about their future plans for training, college and entering the workforce,” said Kim Wisneski, one of the directors of the program.
Wisneski and her colleague Kerry Smith work together to prepare students for their internships. They teach classes covering interview practice, resume and reference writing, public speaking and more.
Interns have opportunities to work at a variety of places from veterinary clinics to hotels. While at their sites, students shadow their sponsors and engage in a wide range of tasks. Through these exciting opportunities, they are given a glimpse of what working in their future careers may look like.
“We encourage students to explore a career before they invest several years and thousands of dollars in the education needed for that career, only to find that it isn't really the kind of work they enjoy, ” said Wisneski.
After completing the program, some students have been offered paid positions at their internship sites. Rangeview High School alumna Dalia Alvarado, for example, was offered a job at The Medical Center of Aurora, where she interned in fall 2022.
“I would one hundred percent recommend it,” said Alvarado. “It really helped me feel more prepared for life after high school and even college. Without it, I feel like I would have been completely lost.”
We encourage all Aurora Public Schools high school students to speak with their counselors to inquire about Pickens’ Executive Internship Program.
