High School Tech Internship Sites Share the Benefits of Hosting an Intern

‍Written By: Anna Cosner, BB2C Storytelling Intern, Williamstown High School Class of ‘26

A hospital and an oil refinery plant share their experiences with their High School Tech Intern and the benefits they experienced from participating in this program. 

The High School Tech Internship program reimburses Ohio employers for hosting high school interns in technology-focused roles. The goal of the High School Tech Internship program is to provide businesses with the tech talent they need while also providing students with valuable work experience at an early age. Interns will be expected to perform job duties similar to what is expected of an entry-level employee in technology roles that focus on artificial intelligence, software development, data, IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband/5G, and other in-demand technology-focused roles.  

HIGHLAND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

High School Tech Interns can be placed in internships across the state of Ohio in many fields.

One field that’s in high demand for new up-and-comers is the Medical field, and Highland District Hospital has seen the benefit of using the High School Tech Internship (HSTI)  program to bolster its talent pipeline. 

Highland District Hospital in Highland County has been hosting interns for years, and can’t say enough about the HSTI experience.

“Our staff really enjoys getting to share their knowledge and expertise with emerging healthcare professionals and appreciate the opportunity to help students solidify their career choices by offering hands-on learning experiences,” Amanda Knauff, the HR Director at Highland District Hospita said.

Highland District Hospital is a community need-driven hospital that has been in Highland County for over one-hundred years. The hospital employs over 400 people and has a robust volunteer team. 

“With our community healthcare needs in mind,” Knauff said, “Highland District Hospital is continually expanding and investing in the newest equipment, services, and products to make choosing us for your care an easy decision.” 

Interns are part of that Highland community who actually get to work and gain real-world experience.

  “Our intern worked directly with specialized Nuc/Med Radiology staff and was able to observe and gain hands-on experience with how to conduct testing such as stress tests, bone scans, HIDA scans, etc.” The goal of HSIT is exactly this: allow interns to earn real-world and hands-on experience in a career field that they want to pursue,” Knauff said. 

When asked about recommending HSTI internships to future students, Knauff had some great insight. 

“Absolutely! Internships are like test-drivingtest driving a car before you buy it. It is perfectly fine to explore your career choices before diving into college, trade school, or going straight into the workforce.”

The other part of HSTI internships? The mentors. These mentors can learn just as much from interns as the interns can learn from them.

  “We have learned how to adapt to the changing needs of a new generation coming into the workforce and how to communicate expectations from the start to ensure a successful intern experience for all parties.” Knauff said. 

HSTI Internships are an amazing opportunity for high school students looking to gain experience in their desired career field. Interested in joining? Learn more about HSTI HERE and apply at www.bb2careers.org/student-internships

AMG VANADIUM

Through the High School Tech Internship (HSTI) program, students have a wide range of career fields they can explore, one of which is the oil refinery field.  

AMG Vanadium, an oil refinery plant that focuses on reclaiming vanadium and ashes,  recently hosted an intern and was pleasantly surprised by their experience. 

“Before meeting our intern, the level of maturity of many juniors in high school caused concern,” said one of Vanadium’s engineers who worked with the intern.

“However, there were no concerns after our interview. They were mature beyond their years, which was somewhat expected given that at the time they hadn’t graduated from high school, yet had a two-year Electrical degree, and were working on an additional two-years in electrical engineering with plans to graduate in spring 2026.”

AMG Vanadium supplies high-quality products and services for industries such as metal, refining, and steel. So, what can an intern do at a plant like this? Well, things like fixing a sagging panel board, learning the process stop for compressed air, and basic PLC & HMI programming are just a few of the real-world, industry-specific tasks they allow their interns to take on. 

An engineer at AMG Vanadium highly recommends that high school students explore the option of being an intern. 

“It provides a broad exposure to the working industry and the range of equipment, processes, and people they may encounter in their careers. As with most endeavors, there are many paths that may be chosen. Having the real working world experience might assist in fine-tuning some choices and direction to pursue.”

The hope for high school students is that they learn there is more to their school experience than sitting in a classroom for four years waiting to graduate. They have the opportunity to work with people in professional settings and gain hands-on experience in a career field that they would potentially want to pursue. 

To learn more about the HSTI program, bb2careers.org/internships