Ramsey County Workforce Solutions Outreach to Schools Internship program is a program that places college interns in St. Paul area high schools to provide services to assist high school students in selecting a career of interest to the student, and a post-secondary path to prepare for that career. With Minnesota having one of the highest student to counselor ratios in the country, OTS is able to help fill part of this gap and assist the school districts in meeting the unfunded World’s Best Workforce Legislation. This organization helps students in these areas with choosing a college, applying to colleges, and filling out specific financial forms for college applications. The organization keeps track of all of the student that their interns help in order to provide a clear database on how many high school students their outreach program is assisting. 

The position title: Outreach to Schools Intern. The purpose of Outreach to Schools Intern is to assist school counselors and provide youth and families with career exploration and career counseling, college information, and current labor market information. My role as an intern is to learn the systems and forms that students have to fill out, assist them in applying and filling out necessary data, and lastly providing my own input, knowledge, and experiences in order to help high school student find the right place for their college experience. 

List of tasks and responsibilities: 

• Work with Guidance counselors to conduct career exploration activities with high school students to assist in selecting a career of interest

• Provide career counseling and conduct career & interest assessments

• Provide job search assistance with job applications, interviewing, resumes, cover letters, etc.

• Provide college information to students including applications, FAFSA information and scholarship searches

• Assist career instructors with career classroom presentations and activities

• Interns receive in depth training from Career Solutions staff and the school counselors at the assigned high school

• Work with various groups at the high school by presenting or talking on topics that relate to inclusion, diversity, and opportunity