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We often hear about homeschool graduates who have found innovative ways to combine education and experience, and get a head start on their chosen careers. One way of doing that is with internships, and with my own high schooler getting serious about her career choices, it was a timely opportunity to review Internship for High School Credit from Apologia Educational Ministries.
Apologia Educational Ministries is a well-known name in the homeschool curriculum publishing world, and this family-owned corporation has earned a stellar reputation for high quality curriculum and resources. They provide Creation-based science, worldview curriculum, books and resources on homeschooling and parenting, and even online classes. Plus they are just about the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.
Internship for High School Credit is one of their newest resources. It's a combination guidebook and workbook for high school students and their parents, explaining how internships work and can benefit students, and giving practical help for getting the job and keeping the necessary records. Author Sherri Seligson demystifies the process of seeking out and applying for internships, and offers step by step help in planning and completing a successful internship in the student's chosen field.
Part I: Getting Started helps the student choose the type of internship to pursue; write a resume and letter of introduction; and prepare for the interview and first day on the job.
Part II: Information for Parents is written directly to the parent and explains labor laws, transcript documentation, and determining credits and grades for an internship.
Part III: First Semester and Part IV: Second Semester contain worksheets for documenting and evaluating the entire intern experience, along with explanations for how to use them effectively.
Part V: Course Wrap-Up does just what it says - guides the student in a final writing assignment, thank you notes, letter of recommendation, and updates to the resume when their internship ends.
Part I: Getting Started helps the student choose the type of internship to pursue; write a resume and letter of introduction; and prepare for the interview and first day on the job.
Part II: Information for Parents is written directly to the parent and explains labor laws, transcript documentation, and determining credits and grades for an internship.
Part III: First Semester and Part IV: Second Semester contain worksheets for documenting and evaluating the entire intern experience, along with explanations for how to use them effectively.
Part V: Course Wrap-Up does just what it says - guides the student in a final writing assignment, thank you notes, letter of recommendation, and updates to the resume when their internship ends.
How did we use it? At this time, I read through the entire book and discussed some of the ideas with Kennady. She's not quite ready to jump into an internship right now, but by the time the new school year starts, I hope she will be. And thanks to the ideas and discussions sparked by the workbook, we've got some direction and encouragement in what kinds of things she could pursue.
The Introduction explains how internship differs from apprenticeship, and lays out the benefits of intern opportunities for high school students. Homeschool students are in an especially good position to pursue internships because they generally have a much more flexible schedule. One of the most important benefits discussed, in my opinion anyway, is the opportunity to learn about what is required in the day-to-day experience of a particular job or business. Students can find out whether the real world expectations in their chosen field does match up well with their talents and personality. In addition to gaining valuable experience, they may also find out that they'd be better off changing their college major before putting a lot of time and money towards a degree that isn't what they are best suited for.
I liked the practical instruction on how to write a resume and letter of introduction, and how to prepare and handle a job interview. From my own experience in the workplace and in working with teens, it's disappointing to see how few know how to conduct themselves in a professional manner in a workplace, and as homeschool parents, we shouldn't assume our kids know that sort of thing! They do need to learn how to write a proper resume and business letter, and they do benefit from practicing in a mock interview and being prepared for the kinds of questions they may be asked.
The chapter written directly to parents contains a lot of helpful information about our role in helping our student choose an internship location and all the questions that we need to have answered before accepting a position. There's information on complying with child labor laws, properly documenting the experience for a transcript, and determining course titles and credits and grades for an internship. Although brief, the chapter is very helpful and reassuring.
The chapters containing the worksheets have clear instructions to the student about how to use the worksheets to define their goals, chronicle their experience, track their hours and performance, and evaluate the skills and experience gained. And finally, when the internship comes to an end, there is a brief chapter outlining the importance of doing a final writing assignment summarizing the experience, writing a professional thank you to the employer, and updating the resume. Often an internship ends with a job offer, but even if it doesn't, the student has gained valuable experience that puts them closer to their career goals. And practically speaking, a letter of recommendation from the employer can make a positive impact for college entrance, scholarships, and future employment.
The Introduction explains how internship differs from apprenticeship, and lays out the benefits of intern opportunities for high school students. Homeschool students are in an especially good position to pursue internships because they generally have a much more flexible schedule. One of the most important benefits discussed, in my opinion anyway, is the opportunity to learn about what is required in the day-to-day experience of a particular job or business. Students can find out whether the real world expectations in their chosen field does match up well with their talents and personality. In addition to gaining valuable experience, they may also find out that they'd be better off changing their college major before putting a lot of time and money towards a degree that isn't what they are best suited for.
I liked the practical instruction on how to write a resume and letter of introduction, and how to prepare and handle a job interview. From my own experience in the workplace and in working with teens, it's disappointing to see how few know how to conduct themselves in a professional manner in a workplace, and as homeschool parents, we shouldn't assume our kids know that sort of thing! They do need to learn how to write a proper resume and business letter, and they do benefit from practicing in a mock interview and being prepared for the kinds of questions they may be asked.
The chapter written directly to parents contains a lot of helpful information about our role in helping our student choose an internship location and all the questions that we need to have answered before accepting a position. There's information on complying with child labor laws, properly documenting the experience for a transcript, and determining course titles and credits and grades for an internship. Although brief, the chapter is very helpful and reassuring.
The chapters containing the worksheets have clear instructions to the student about how to use the worksheets to define their goals, chronicle their experience, track their hours and performance, and evaluate the skills and experience gained. And finally, when the internship comes to an end, there is a brief chapter outlining the importance of doing a final writing assignment summarizing the experience, writing a professional thank you to the employer, and updating the resume. Often an internship ends with a job offer, but even if it doesn't, the student has gained valuable experience that puts them closer to their career goals. And practically speaking, a letter of recommendation from the employer can make a positive impact for college entrance, scholarships, and future employment.
What we liked best:
- concise and practical
- all the worksheets included - this is especially helpful for a student who is forging a new path in internship, perhaps at a company that doesn't already have an intern program in place
What I need to mention:
- it's not within the scope of this book to help students identify possible career choices based on their abilities and interests. There are some tips and suggestions offered, but you'll need to have some career ideas in mind before getting started with this book.
Our bottom line: I think it's likely that Kennady will do some sort of interning during her last couple years of high school, and having this resource to guide us will take some guesswork out of the process and give us both a much-needed boost of confidence. This is a wonderful resource for teens who want to explore some career options before choosing their college major, and for teens who are sure of the career they want to pursue and hope to get a head start through internship.
(We've previously reviewed the following resources from Apologia: The Ultimate Homeschool Planner by Debra Bell - read our review HERE; Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal - read our review HERE; iWitness books - read our review HERE; Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms by Mary Jo Tate - read our review HERE; and Journeys of Faithfulness by Sarah Clarkson - read our review HERE.)
(We've previously reviewed the following resources from Apologia: The Ultimate Homeschool Planner by Debra Bell - read our review HERE; Exploring Creation Field Trip Journal - read our review HERE; iWitness books - read our review HERE; Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms by Mary Jo Tate - read our review HERE; and Journeys of Faithfulness by Sarah Clarkson - read our review HERE.)
Would you and your student like to learn more about internships for high school credit? Here's what you need to know:
Visit the website: www.Apologia.com
Pricing: Internship for High School Credit is available for $33.
Age Recommendations: This workbook is geared towards high school age students and their parents.
You can follow Apologia on Facebook, on Twitter, on Pinterest, on Instagram, on Google+, and on YouTube.
Visit the Homeschool Review Crew blog for more information and to read other reviews. Crew members also reviewed a brand new resource for homeschool moms - How to HOMESCHOOL with Stunning Confidence, Contagious Joy, and Amazing Focus (DVD and coursebook) so be sure to check out all the reviews!
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