Advancing STEM Career and Learning Through Civic Engagement

Connecting the information technology training (GIS in particular) to paid positions in the form of internships and civic engagement provided not only real-world problem-solving experiences but gave the students a sense of what an actual job looked like and how one should behave, dress, and communicate in the workplace. The program received encouragement from teachers, endorsement from parents, and praise from internship supervisors. The internships provided a tangible end goal for students during their year(s) of engagement, and they always had a sense of where it would lead them.