The 10th annual Plano Mayor’s Summer Internship Program is accepting applications from high school sophomores and juniors from February 6 to March 6.
The learn-and-earn program is sponsored by Capital One and led by Plano Mayor John Muns. The program places qualifying high schoolers with area corporations and nonprofits in an eight-week paid internship from June 12 to August 4.
Students earn a minimum of $12 per hour working 20-40 hours per week. Only the first 400 applicants are considered, and Muns has made it a priority to increase the number of AVID (Advanced Via Individual Determination) students and students who will be first-generation college students in the program.
Since former Mayor Harry LaRosiliere’s launch of the program in 2014, approximately 780 students have received summer internships, reaping invaluable benefits from being immersed in a professional workplace, according to a press release.
To qualify for an internship position, students should complete an online application, which includes short essays, be a rising junior or senior at a Plano public high school or at Hebron High School and resident in Plano, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, a solid attendance record, and be eligible to work in the United States.
Students must also attend the Intern Prep virtual event on Saturday, March 18. The event will focus on resume development, interviewing, business communication, professional dress and personal goal planning. This event will prepare students for the Job Fair on April 21 where dozens of employers will be present.
Selected students will receive a formal job offer via email in May, complete Intern Orientation and Enrichment training on June 7, and begin their internship on June 12.
Interns will also participate in a Community Service Day in June and finish the internship with an end-of-summer luncheon on August 1 at Plano Event Center.
Businesses and nonprofits are encouraged to sign up and hire one or more interns, and must do so by April 1. Companies must pay a $500 program fee for each intern that covers training and enrichment activists, the Job Fair, and onboarding and administrative costs. Nonprofits can submit a separate application to have the program and payroll underwritten by a sponsor.
For student-related questions, contact Mary Peltier at mary.peltier@vwaitgroup.com. Companies interested in signing up may contact Vicki Wait at vicki@vwaitgroup.com.
