HTH internship mentors give 11th-grade students the opportunity to experience a professional workplace, explore possible careers, and learn from adults working in fields that interest them.
At the same time, interns can bring energy, curiosity, new perspectives, and meaningful contributions to your organization.
Internship is about much more than observing someone at work. With the support of a mentor, students have the opportunity to:
Experience an authentic professional environment
Explore a career or industry
Develop professional and communication skills
Contribute through meaningful work and projects
Learn from your educational and professional journey
Begin thinking about the role they want work to play in their own future
For many HTH students, a mentor can be an important connection to a professional world they haven't experienced before.
Your primary role is to provide a supportive, educational, and professional experience for your intern.
Mentors should:
Hold a bachelor's degree or higher, or an equivalent professional degree
Share their educational and professional journey
Help the intern understand the different aspects of their work and industry
Provide meaningful work and opportunities to contribute to a project
Include the intern in appropriate daily routines and workplace experiences
Keep the intern actively engaged throughout the workday
Be available to provide guidance, feedback, and support during the internship
Work from a physical office or internship location rather than exclusively from home or on the road
Not be an immediate family member of the intern
If applicable, mentors may also support a student's entrepreneurial project by providing advice and feedback during scheduled meetings.
Once you and a student have agreed to work together, there are a few things to complete before internship begins.
Please confirm the internship with your student in writing by email, including:
Host organization name
Mentor email address
Mentor phone number
Internship site address
Before internship begins, the student and an HTH staff member will participate in an approximately 30-minute site visit at the internship location.
The visit gives the student an opportunity to:
Practice getting to and from the internship site
Become familiar with the organization and workspace
Meet other people they may be working with
Begin discussing or developing ideas for their internship project
The goal is simple: help students feel comfortable, prepared, and ready to make the most of their internship experience.
We're happy to help! Please contact Sharon at smayer@hightechhigh.org with any questions about mentoring or the HTH Internship Program.
