OHHS IT Pathway Experiential Learning Program
Internships can be difficult to acquire especially in the IT/Computer Engineering field. Thankfully, Hesperia Unified School District has developed a program that provides students with real-life internship experience in various fields over two weeks. Students with interests in information technology, computers, or networking have access to an unpaid internship with the district’s IT Department as a part of this program. One of our Encrypted Club members, Emma Cundiff, took part in this experience and was kind enough to share it with us in an interview!
What was the most valuable takeaway from your internship experience?
“The most valuable takeaway from this experience was getting to know everybody at the office and hearing their stories of how they got to where they are. I always thought it was kind of a straight shot into IT but all of them took different paths and still got to where they are now”
How can you apply the knowledge gained during your internship in the IT industry?
“One thing that I learned when I was there was their communication with others and how they handled situations. I think that this knowledge is important to have gained going into the IT industry knowing that one wrong step could lead to a disaster or even bigger problem”
How did Mr. Smith’s classes help prepare you for this internship?
“Mr. Smith’s class helped to go into this internship because when they came into each other’s offices to talk or diagnose a problem, I would understand the IT language they would use that I had been learning in Mr. Smith’s class. Also configuring switches and routers helped towards the end”
What was your favorite part of your internship experience?
“My favorite part was towards the end when Derek started his internship there as well and we had a competition to see who could take apart a Chromebook the fastest”
What were your day-to-day tasks during the internship?
“Day-to-day tasks differed each time I went since I went on Mondays and Wednesdays. Usually, it would just be fixing or diagnosing issues that arise or helping prepare for big events with Matt. Sometimes I went to other school sites to check out or implement a solution that they found out how to fix”
Current students within the HUSD can contact their counselors for information about the ELP program and learn how to be placed in an internship. This program is available only during the school year.
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