BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Through a partnership with Youth CareerConnect, high school students at Bend-La Pine Schools can develop their skills and gain real-world work experience through internships with central Oregon employers .
Bridgit Montgomery, School to Career Program Manager at Bend-La Pine Schools, hopes to raise awareness of this new opportunity and inspire as many interested students as possible to sign up to participate and explore local career options.
“We are excited about the partnership with YCC and the ability to provide exciting and hands-on work opportunities for students,” Montgomery said. “Our regional workforce is incredibly diverse, offering opportunities in recreation, high tech, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing and more, allowing us to find something interesting for every student.”
YCC began as a regional initiative with the goal of providing internship opportunities for high school students, allowing them to apply their school experiences in the workplace.
In addition to valuable work experience, internships provide the opportunity to build a resume and college applications, explore career opportunities and earn elective credit, according to Larry Holeman, YCC’s Bend Internship Coordinator. . Additionally, many employers offer paid compensation.
“We already have a number of Bend-La Pine students placed with companies in central Oregon, but demand is so high right now that we are always looking for students who want to develop their skills through the many opportunities internships available,” said Holeman.
Students and parents can learn more by contacting their school’s career coordinator or exploring the YCC website at youthcareerconnect.org.
