Working Towards a Job
Whether it’s to earn a little extra money or to get real world experience, many high school students find themselves searching for a job. To prepare for the responsibility of working in a real job, some students have found their start in entrance level jobs and internships.
Macey Klipp, senior, works as a sales associate at Off Broadway Shoes. Last year, Klipp enrolled in Regional Occupational Placement (ROP). The ROP program is designed to allow students to gain experience in the career paths they’re interested in by helping them find internships.
“Any profession that you want to get into … it helps give you a step into it and gives you some insight as to ‘do you really want to pursue this?’” Klipp said.
Another program available to students is the Majors Program, which requires students to complete 30 hours of an internship as well as 30 class credits in one field. Nicholas Colangelo works in the College and Career Center to help students find internships that can lead students to future careers. Colangelo helps students draft their resumes and locate opportunities for internships.
“The resume is important for getting your foot in the door and getting the interview that could get the internship,” Colangelo said.
Colangelo added that in different industries, it can be hard to find an internship that correlates directly to what the student is interested in.
“We think of creative solutions to help students take this step that will lead to the next step, to the next step, and ultimately to their career goal,” Colangelo added.
Macey Klipp, senior, stacks boxes at her shift at Off Broadway Shoes, a job she obtained through ROP.
Anthony Arevalo, a graduate from the class of 2015, got his start in the majors program. After taking various culinary classes, he found an internship working in the cafeteria and deli at California State University Channel Islands.
“I wanted to explore different opportunities to hone my skill at a job site where I was serving the public and furthering my on-the-job skills,” Arevalo said.
During his internship, Arevalo picked up many tricks and collected advice from the chefs he worked alongside. Once he completed the internship, Arevalo was offered an application to work at University Glen.
“I immediately jumped for a chance at the market,” Arevalo said.
Like Arevalo, Klipp decided to look into jobs that would be similar to her work as an intern. “I’m graduating this year so I need some real life experience,” Klipp said. “I have this (internship) experience under my belt, why not just apply for a job?”
Colangelo emphasised the importance of finding an internship that you are interested in and pursuing it.
“Experience is so valuable and connections are so valuable,” Colangelo said. “It helps the student to really be fully immersed in the industry experience outside of an academic experience.”
Arevalo agrees. “The classroom and the workplace are two different extremes. This applies for every profession,” Arevalo said. “You can learn everything about something, but if you can’t combine the knowledge with the grind without feeling overwhelmed than the profession isn’t for you.”
