UNM-LA and LAHS students posed for a group photo at their graduation last spring. Laura Loy and Ken Holmes were the academic advisors for the program last year. Back row from left, Laura Loy, Alyssa Chacon, Hannah Whittaker, Guendalyn Brennan, Bendt Dahl, Ethan Rickards, James Ro, Ryan Guenther and Ken Holmes. Front row from left, Carina Echave, Kurt Benner, Hiamh Short, Lauren Johnson and Amber Cline. Photo by Nancy Coombs/UNM-LAUNM-LA News:
The Community Internship Collaboration (CIC) will begin its third year of connecting UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) students with local business mentors for internship projects later this month.
CIC is a collaboration involving UNM-Los Alamos, Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Security, LLC, and the UNM-Los Alamos Small Business Development Center.
Goals of the program are to provide meaningful work experiences for students, meet area workforce needs and to develop the future workforce for the local community, the region and the Laboratory. Students are able to put knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to use in a practical way in a variety of industries and settings, while local businesses gain an intern eager to contribute to the success of their business at no cost to them.
For students, the program provides an opportunity to “work, learn, and earn.” Students will not only gain the work experience, but will have the opportunity to earn some money, while learning both on the job and in the classroom. CIC students also enroll in a class at UNM-LA specifically designed for students in this program and covering topics that include project management, Gantt charts, time management, problem solving, business communication, customer service, and presentation skills.
Students interested in participating in the program this fall must attend a mandatory orientation session 3:30-5 p.m. either Aug. 23 or Aug. 24. During orientation, they will be guided in the creation of a resume, a cover letter and basic interview skills.
Businesses who wish to participate have the opportunity to “mentor, leverage, and grow.” Participating organizations must develop a project, identify a mentor, and provide a description of the work an intern will be involved with. Students apply directly to the positions that interest them. Past mentors have consistently praised the program and noted the ways in which they learned from the student interns. At least one intern has been hired by her mentor organization and others have received offers.
