Providing Valuable Work Experience: Licking Heights Local Schools Launch High School Tech Internship Program Funded by Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation

The High School Tech Internship program, funded by an investment from the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, will provide real-life experience and on-the-job technology training for 10 high school students at Licking Heights Local Schools. This initiative is designed to reimburse employers in Ohio who host high school interns in technology-focused positions. Through this program, businesses can gain access to the tech talent they need while also providing valuable work experience for students at a young age.

The selected interns will work alongside Licking Heights’ district technology team, a five-person internal office responsible for managing the cybersecurity and technology operations of all schools and buildings from PreK to 12th grade. Interns will be treated as entry-level tech employees and will have the opportunity to learn in-demand skills such as data, cloud and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband/5G, and advanced mobility.

The inaugural class of Licking Heights technology interns includes Alex Bastola, Brooks Girum, Albert Holland, Zoe Kubinsky, Himanshu Mandal, Alina Mangeni, Brent Mathias, Emily McCord, Lily Wahl, and Lucas Wells. Some students are hoping that this internship will open up opportunities for them in specific fields such as cybersecurity. For example, McCord plans to attend Ohio State University for computer science and engineering with the goal of becoming a cloud security analyst. She will assist the district in transitioning to a cloud database during her internship. On the other hand