Oxford, Mississippi (October 12, 2023) — Continuing its push toward creating students who are college, career, and life ready, the Oxford School District launched its senior internship program this fall in order to better prepare students as they transition out of high school. The Portrait of a Graduate (POG) internship program works with local community partners to provide meaningful opportunities for students to explore fields of study that connect to their long-term career interest and for students to receive regular feedback about their progress toward meeting the POG standards.
Dr. Duncan Gray, the OSD Director of Community and Workforce Development, said the district piloted some internships last spring and scaled out the program this fall. He added that the POG internship program is for everyone, regardless of when they are going to enter the workforce.
“We are all a part of the workforce. Some of us just enter it before others. Since that is the case, we have internship opportunities ranging from entry-level maintenance for those who may want to go straight to work all the way to internships with orthopedic surgeons. And we’re continuing to look for ways to add experiences in order to have a diverse set of opportunities.”
One new component for the 24-25 school year will be digital internships. Students who have a demonstrated interest in the technology field can opt to work on earning a variety of digital certifications through Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and others. These certifications will enhance students’ resumes and college applications as well as open the door for immediate job positions.
“We’re excited about the success of the new internships and offerings, but we’re also excited that we’ve been able to really bring together all of our district’s current programs that support students’ transitions out of high school. Whether it’s through the work-based learning class, Ability Works, Project Thrive, or a standard internship, we’re developing a system that provides meaningful opportunities with meaningful feedback on essential skills to assist our students as they transition out of high school.”
Gray said 51 seniors completed over 110 interviews last spring in order to be paired up with an internship connected to their field. If local businesses are interested in being a part of the senior internship program moving forward, please reach out to Dr. Gray at dmgray@oxfordsd.org or call 662-234-3541.
