This 90-hour micro-internship program provides rising high school seniors the opportunity to:

• • • learn about key industries, companies and potential careers
    • gain a deeper understanding about themselves, their career possibilities and aspirations
    • develop, practice and demonstrate their skills and how these their skills lead to careers
    • identify the education needed to be successful in their chosen career and industry
    • develop and learn how to cultivate their professional network

The Career Exploration Experience is scheduled 6/12/23 – 7/21/23, students will be expected to fully participate in all activities, professional learning and mentoring, as well as complete a mentor-sponsored project.  

This is a hybrid experience with regularly scheduled meetings with an academic advisor and/or success coach, in addition to industry mentors. 

The application period opens Jan 9th, 2023, applications (including a cover letter and resume) must be submitted via this online form by midnight 2/28.  Interviews, as required, will be scheduled between 3/13/23-4/7/23.

Use your cover letter to introduce yourself and highlight why you would be a strong candidate for the micro-internship opportunity.  Limit your cover letter to one-page, and use a professional 10pt or 11 pt font.  As you develop your cover letter and resume, we  encourage you to use the opportunity board, micro-internship position description and hosting company’s website as resources. 

Make It Personal

To make your cover letter seem more personable, address the letter to a specific person (see opportunity board) and reference the specific Career Exploration Experience that you are seeking.  You will have the option to submit a cover letter and resume for up to three different experiences from the opportunity board. 

Introduce yourself – highlight your Past, Present, and Future

Take time to introduce yourself in the letter.  In three – four short sentences, share what grade you are in and special courses or programs you may have completed that align to the Career Exploration Experience. Then, discuss your present; highlight your strengths, skills, and interests.  Finally, explain your career aspirations and what you hope to gain from the experience. 

Research is Key!

An important question to address in the cover letter is why you want to participate in the Career Exploration Experience.  Identifying specific aspects of the Career Exploration Experience that appeal to you and taking the time to highlight a project (or your specific experiences or skills) shows that you have researched the Career Exploration Experience and are genuinely excited to participate in the program. 

Keep It Brief

Keep your cover letter under a page using clear, direct language.

Your resume provides the selection committee insights into who you are; your professionalism, strengths, competencies, and aspirations.  As you create your resume remember to highlight the experience and competencies you’ve developed through your academic projects, work experience, leadership roles, extra-curricular activities, or community service, as well as any certifications or awards you may have earned.  Key resume sections include:  

• • • Name and preferred contact information: Include phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile or digital portfolio, (if available). 
    • Qualifications: 3-4 bullet points highlighting key skills, accomplishments or experiences related to the micro-internship opportunity.  Draw on your experiences in school, work, extracurricular activities, community service, or leadership roles. 
    • Education: Current grade, and course of study (if applicable), or training/exploration that you have pursued independently that aligns with the micro-internship opportunity.
    • Technical Skills: List relevant field-specific technical skills, for example: cloud collaboration, remote communication. Internet safety, social media skills, data analysis, financial literacy, productivity tools, project management, programming languages, software tools, etc.  
    • Certifications: List certifications that are relevant to the micro-internship opportunity.
    • Extracurricular Activities, Community Service or Volunteering: Highlight how you contributed to the organization or project, skills learned or applied, or leadership roles.
    • Awards, Honors, Accomplishments, and Leadership Roles 

The application packet includes an application form, resume and cover letter.  Application questions include: 

• • • Your name, preferred email and phone number
    • Current school and/or school district
    • Age and expected graduation date
    • What careers would you like to explore? (options include: Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Engineering, Design & Architecture, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Healthcare and/or Medical Devices, Information Technology, Professional & Business Services)
    • What resources do you use to learn about careers or collage programs?  
    • Are you actively involved in any mentoring and/or college preparation programs? 
    • Background experience or skills related to Career Exploration Experience: Certifications, courses, activities, or work experience. 
    • Future goals: Career interests, post secondary plans, and what you hope to gain from this program. 
    • Potential scheduling conflicts
    • Demographic information