As high school students get closer to graduation, searching for jobs becomes more important. Paid internships, a temporary job that exposes students to the workforce, opens up a variety of job opportunities. Bronx River has contributed to letting students have a chance at a paid internship. Some of these internships include the Work, Learn and Grow along with Leaders for Tomorrow. These programs have given students a chance at getting real work experience.
The Work, Learn and Grow Program, commonly referred as WLG program, is an extension of the Summer Youth Employment Program. If students do a good enough job in the Summer Youth Employment Program, they will have the opportunity to participate in Work, Learn, Grow. WLG, starts in October and ends in March. The program helps students get free college credits while still in high school and helps participants earn while doing internships and get knowledge in career development.
To be qualified for WLG, you have to be 16 or older. It begins with a CUNY class and the class is remote. Once it has been completed, students will be eligible to be a part of a paid internship.
There are different types of internships offered at the work learn grow program. Christina White, the 12th grade guidance counselor, says “The program includes a variety of jobs, I’ve known of students working in pet stores. One student even worked at a pet grooming salon,” she said. “The program is offered through our partner Phipps Neighborhood where if you are a Bronx River student, you are guaranteed a spot in the enrollment.”
The WLG program has helped students develop a sense of responsibility with potential difficult tasks that they have to do. “I work at Walgreens in customer service, my day is spent packing out stock, fulfilling same day orders and helping around on the main floor,” said Salman Chowdhury, a junior in the WLG program.
“My least favorite part of the job is looking for misplaced items because it makes it harder to restock items in the right spots and the prices get messed up. However, my most favorite part of the job is answering call buttons to help customers open glass cases which helps prevent robberies,” he said. “After joining the program, I have better developed my professionalism, now obtaining real work experience.”
Leaders for Tomorrow, another internship program, has helped students gain connections with organizations and CEOs. Lathania Williams, a senior and a member of the program, said, “On the program, we took trips to see Wells Fargo’s CEO and people from City Bank. Through these organizations I got my LinkedIn.”
She added, “I recently graduated from the program and two others from Bronx River are a part of the program. I was also given 25 dollar stipends and through this program, I was given the opportunity to apply for a program called Ronay Menschel Scholarship. We also had priority during the WLG program to pick our first worksite.”
These internship programs have benefited students in learning what types of fields interest them and the opportunities that come from them. “Any teen can get into it and it truly teaches you on how to take your next step into the future and how to become a natural leader in everything you do and everywhere you go hence the name,” Elias Rodriguez, a junior and a member of both the Work Learn Grow program and leaders for tomorrow, said. “It teaches you how to grow as an individual, how to cooperate with people you do not know and how to navigate through a workplace whether it’s new or familiar.”
“A few pros of being in WLG and/or Leaders for Tomorrow is that you get benefits like picking your worksite,” he said. “Another pro is that children can earn up to five thousand dollars for four to five months of part time work which is nice and gives you an idea on how to support yourself and save up. While he finds support through these internships he also acknowledges some of its downsides. “It can be very time consuming and if you have a social life or sports after school you may have to miss a few days of spending time with friends or going to practice. If you don’t communicate with your employer or boss it can seem like you are truly lost and don’t know who to ask or what to do.”
Elias recommends students who are signing up for Work, Learn, Grow pick something within their interests, but if they are feeling curious, they should pick something completely new to expand their knowledge of different jobs.
