The document outlines the successful implementation of compensated internship programs within the NAF (National Academy Foundation), highlighting the importance of aligning curricula with local business needs, community engagement, and systematic assessment of student internships. It details the roles of students, educators, and businesses in preparing for and executing internship experiences, ensuring that they provide valuable learning opportunities while addressing workforce needs. The program has achieved a 100% success rate in securing internships since its inception in 2004, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between educational institutions and businesses.

1. #NAFNext2014
Providing Students a Quality Internship:
Keys to Success

2. ERICH DE LA FUENTE
 Chief Executive Officer – EDF Communications
 NAF National Advisory Board Member
 Alumni Leadership Council Chair
 Advisory Board Leadership Council
 Miami-Dade County Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
Advisory Board Member
 NAF NEXT Alumni Award 2012
 Graduate of 1989 NAF Academy
WHO WE ARE
#NAFNext2014

3. KIT BECNEL
 AOIT Director - Carencro High School 10 Years, Lafayette, LA
 NAF Advisory Board Leadership Council 3 years
 (Academic Support Officer 2 Years)
 NAF Network Leadership Council 2 Years
 Janet Linton Award 2010
 NAF Distinguished Academy 2009
 Distinguished NAF Design Studio 2009
 Aldo Papone Award 2007
WHO WE ARE
#NAFNext2014

4. Carencro High School
 Student body 1096 (Comprehensive High School)
 Title I – (62%) Free and Reduced Lunch
 56% Non-White / 44% White
 48% Female / 52% Male
 Students with disabilities 17%
Academy of Information Technology
 Student body 156 (Four year curriculum)
 Title I – (62%) Free and Reduced Lunch
 38% Non-White / 62% White
 35% Female / 65% Male
 Students with disabilities 2%
DEMOGRAPHICS
#NAFNext2014

5.  Internships are part of a continuum of work-based learning
 Internships are compensated
 Internships address education equity
 Internships are based on identified youth interests and learning
objectives
 Internship experiences align with academic learning
 Internships produce valuable work that furthers employers’
organizational goals
 All participants are prepared for and reflect upon internship
experiences
 Systems are in place to support internship participants throughout the
experience
 Internships are assessed against identified youth interests and learning
objectives
 Internships occur in safe and supportive environments
NAF GOLD STANDARDS
#NAFNext2014

6.  100% success rate in achieving compensated internships since
the year of inception 2004 including 504 and special education
students
 Internship program takes place during the 1st five weeks of
the summer break between the junior and senior year of high
school
 Average summer internship class: 25 – 33
 33% of interns are asked to continue their internship
AOIT INTERNSHIPS
#NAFNext2014

7. Students
Curriculum Preparation
 Is your curriculum in line with
local business/industry needs?
 Be flexible-meet the academic
standards/outcomes but flexibility
in the curriculum is needed
 Ensure students’ skill sets are
useful in the workforce and meet
the local community’s needs
 Century 21st and soft skills are
integral
PREPARATION
Director
Assessment Meeting
 Reach out to your local businesses
to find out what are their
workforce needs
 Let them know your program is
interested in helping fill those
needs
 Make them a stakeholder in their
future workforce
 Let them know about the
internship program but don’t hard
sell it
#NAFNext2014

8. BUSINESSES
 Identify areas in your company where intern can contribute to
the business while obtaining a valuable experience
 Task a company executive to serve as your internship liaison to
the local academies in your areas
 Conduct a meeting with Academy Director(s) and/or Advisory
Board Members from which you are planning to hire interns
PREPARATION
#NAFNext2014

9. Students
Pre-Internship Assessment
 Meet with students individually
as they fill out their own self
assessments
 Discuss the internship and ask is
it in line with their career path
 Create an action plan with
director
 Evaluate and use this assessment
in placement studying their
career path with possible or
currently established internships
ASSESSMENT
Director
Managing Expectations
 The director and a community
business partner meet with
interested sponsors
 A clear picture of what the
business expects from the intern
and what the intern expects from
the business is formed
 This step is an essential part of a
long term partnership
#NAFNext2014

10. BUSINESSES
 Convey clear expectations of what the company expects from
the intern and what the programs expect the students to gain
from the internship experience
 Develop a detailed job description for interns including job
performance evaluation metrics; highlight necessary skills for
the job and salary expectations
 Ensure that job description is posted on the company’s
website and communicated appropriately to the academies;
also provide company’s policies and regulations
ASSESSMENT
#NAFNext2014

11. Students
Internship Prep
 Internships require preparation on
both the student and parent’s
part
 Set expectations now. Hold
mandatory meetings (7 months
and 6 weeks prior) to internship
 Fill out necessary paperwork early
 Hard deadlines
 Internships are SERIOUS business
RIGHT MIND SET
Director
Internship Recruitment
 Now that you have begun to
establish a relationship with local
businesses, reconnect with them
in 6 months
 Emphasize that they are the
driving force in the community
and if they want quality workers,
then participation in education is
a must
 The internship program is a way
for them to gauge strengths and
weaknesses of the future
workforce
#NAFNext2014

12. BUSINESSES
 Understand that the private-public sector partnership is
essential to NAF’s success: good education and work
experience will lead to a higher quality work force
 Think of interns as potential future employees at your company
 Give interns opportunity to learn and grow
 Hold interns accountable for their responsibilities
 Internships are a practical and cost-effective way to evaluate a potential
employee
 This is an opportunity to establish a long-standing win-win
relationship with the academies in your area
RIGHT MIND SET

13. Students
Faculty Input
 Director meets with other faculty
members to begin placing
students with internships
according to skills sets
 Students must have the correct
skills as well as the necessary soft
skills in order to be successful in
their position
 A good match is a HUGE KEY to a
successful internship experience
for both the intern and provider
MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES
Director
Community Partner / AB
 Community partners can assist at
this phase in the placement
process
 They will offer great insight as to
the state of modern business
practices, workplace culture,
expectations, etiquette and
necessary skill sets
 Send 2 – 3 prospective interns to
interview
#NAFNext2014

14. Attempt to place interns based on:
 Student interest
 Student strengths in particular academy themed areas
 Special needs of students/collaboration with Special Education
Facilitator
 Internship provider attitudes and expectations
 Job description of internship provider
MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES
#NAFNext2014

15. BUSINESSES
 Set up formal review process of all CVs provided to select the
best candidates based on the skills required for the position
 Manage the process as you would do for candidates applying for
a regular position
 Have at least one other company executive (preferably from the
division intern will work) interview the intern candidate
 Upon obtaining feedback from your team, conduct personal
interviews of the top candidates and select the best candidate(s)
MATCHING STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES
#NAFNext2014

16. Students
Spring Meeting
(4-6 Weeks Prior)
 Parents and students must attend
a mandatory meeting in the spring
 This meeting covers the school
policies, paperwork, curriculum,
grading, etc.
 It also helps the parents with what
is expected of them through the
duration of the internship
PRIOR TO INTERNSHIP
Director
Last minute details
 At this point, the sponsoring
businesses should be 100% on
board
 Businesses should know what to
expect from their intern and what
the intern should expect from
them
 Any last minute details can be
addressed during this time
#NAFNext2014

17. BUSINESSES
 Either you or direct supervisor overseeing the interns’ work
should communicate with the intern to establish:
 Starting date
 Review job descriptions and responsibilities
 Appropriate work attire
 Compensation procedures
 Job performance evaluation tools and metrics
PRIOR TO INTERNSHIP
#NAFNext2014

18. Students
Student Engagement
 Students report back to the
director daily via online blogs
 It is important for the director and
faculty to watch for changes in
posts that would indicate a
negative experience or workplace
situation
 Students document their work
DURING THE INTERNSHIP
Director
Business Engagement
 The director and faculty visit with
the internship providers and
interns every other week
 The key –partnership interaction
between the academy and the
businesses is crucial for this
partnership to succeed in the
future
#NAFNext2014

19. Academy faculty visit both the intern and work supervisor bi-
weekly
Initial visits allow for clarification of work supervisor duties
Individual conversations with both the intern and work
supervisor allows each to speak frankly about the internship
Special visits occur when the work supervisor reports a
problem or when we discover issues on the job
Academy faculty counsels with the intern for as long or as
many times as it takes to have a positive experience
Consider a special education specialist as an internship
coordinator or provide a special task force to assist with
special needs
DURING THE INTERNSHIP

20. BUSINESSES
 Assign tasks to the intern as you would any other junior
executive so he/she can learn the most from the work
experience
 Have intern participate in meetings and accompany you to
events so he/she can experience the corporate world
atmosphere
 Establish a reporting mechanism with the intern to provide
guidance as well as constructive feedback
 Conduct regular meetings with the Academy Director to
ensure all is going well
DURING THE INTERNSHIP
#NAFNext2014

21. Students
Post Follow-up
 Final Report - Students provide a
final MLA report of their work
experience including what they
learned, research about the
company, the challenges,
successes and failures
 Student reflection on their
workforce experience
AFTER THE INTERNSHIP
Director
Post Follow-up
 Internship providers are
acknowledged and thanked during
the internship closing ceremony
 The goal is for businesses to
continue to be actively engaged
partners supporting the academy
during the year
 Develop relationships instead of a
once-a-year source for internship
money
 Ultimately, these partnerships will
grow beyond just internships
#NAFNext2014

22. BUSINESSES
 Conduct a full evaluation of the intern’s job performance
 Praise all positive aspects of his/her work
 Provide constructive feedback on areas that need
improvement and provide suggestion
 Hold final meeting with Academy Director to provide full
evaluation and provide recommendation
 Get involved in your local academy in order to:
 Have better understanding of the program
 Select students with necessary skills for your company
 Give back to the community and positively impact students’
future
AFTER THE INTERNSHIP
#NAFNext2014

23. Documents and Other Resources:
http://www.tinyurl.com/WBL-Carencro
RESOURCES & SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

24. Kit Becnel: kitbecnel@yahoo.com
Erich de la Fuente: erich@edfpr.com
THANK YOU