The High School STEM Internship Program builds on the Connecting Activities program operated by business-led Workforce Investment Boards for the past five years. In this model, the private sector provides a 2-1 match of public sector program funds through wages paid to students.

 

The Metro S/W Regional Employment Board employs Career Specialists in each of eleven high schools in the region—Ashland, Bellingham, Dedham, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Keefe Tech, Marlborough, Natick, Waltham, Weston

 

Career Specialists work closely with guidance staff, teachers, and administrators to identify and recruit students who are good candidates for internships based on their academic performance or personal interest in STEM.

 

Students are carefully screened, evaluated, and then placed with a STEM company on a part-time basis during the school year or full-time during the summer. Student interns spend at least 50% of their time working on STEM-related tasks, and are paid a reasonable wage for their work.

 

Students complete an assessment before and after internships to provide information on changes in career aspirations, academic course selection, and perceptions of STEM careers/professions. This assessment also tracks actual enrollment in 2 and 4 year college majors.

 

 

Program Details

 

Hiring Periods	Flexible throughout the year depending on the needs of the company and interest of the student
Salary Ranges	Reasonable wage for work assignment—$8-14/hour
Length of Employment	Variable, e.g., 4-15 hours/week, 12-40 weeks/year; part-time during the school year or full time in the summer
Job Description	Companies provide details of work assignment, responsibilities and required skills, knowledge, experience (Download Job Description form)
Work Based Learning Plan (WBLP)	WBLP completed by student and company (Download WBLP)
Workers Compensation	Under Massachusetts law, student interns are covered as employees for Workers Compensation purposes.