CBIA Hosts Orientation Session for Summer Interns
Photos by Chris McGuire
More than 50 students from three Hartford high school academies attended a half-day orientation at CBIA's downtown offices on May 25, 2010, to help prepare them for paid internships at area businesses this summer. Students from the Academy of Engineering and Green Technology, High School, Inc., and Pathways to Technology spent the morning touring CBIA's offices, listening to speakers on topics such as professionalism and workplace etiquette, networking with prospective employers, and meeting other students who have either started or completed internships and were available to share highlights and advice from their own experience.
The morning kicked off with a high-interest, high-energy presentation by Gabriel Boyd of the Urban League of Greater Hartford. Boyd coached and quizzed students on everything from punctuality for interviews ("Don't meet me there; beat me there!"), handshakes ("Are you a limp fish?"), and verbal communication ("Do I speak like I text?").
Other presentations included the following:
- "How to Be an All-Star Intern" (Patrick Curry, The Hartford)
- "Manners for the Workplace" (Joan Hopper)
- "What I've Learned Since Graduation from Hartford High in 2000" (Rashonne Davis, MetLife; Heriberto Rodriguez, Pratt & Whitney; Jade Harding, Response Insurance; and Damian Williams, Travelers)
- "What to Expect in a Corporate Internship" (graduating seniors Brendan Vazquez, Mariah Allen, and Steve Cortes, from all three Hartford academies)
The program concluded with a celebration lunch and reception. (Story continues below.) See more photos from the orientation event.
All students attending the orientation have participated in team-building and skill-building pre-employment workshops. They were selected for internship placements based on their academic achievement and teachers’ recommendations.
“Internships bring benefits not only to students, by introducing them to the world of work, but also to companies,” says Dayl Walker. “Young students bring positive energy and a fresh perspective to your workplace.“ Walker is a program manager for the Education Foundation. She points out that internships offer companies a chance to showcase their products and services and the valuable role they play in their community and in Connecticut's economy.
Paid spring and summer internships are being offered by CBIA member companies throughout the Greater Hartford area. Internship arrangements are flexible, and CBIA’s Education Foundation is assisting with various aspects of the program, serving as a liaison between employers and schools.
All internships pay at least the current minimum wage of $8.25. They offer opportunities for students to learn about various aspects of a business, think critically and solve problems, apply the technical and academic skills learned in the classroom, make more informed career decisions. For many students, the internship is their first paying job and one of the most memorable and valuable components of their high school experience.
United Technologies Corporation, a CBIA member company, is the major corporate sponsor of the Academy of Engineering and Green Technology, one of the three schools placing interns. CBIA’s Education Foundation helps coordinate student internships for interested employers. For more information, contact Dayl Walker.
