More and more high school students today are realizing the value and excellence of internships â both in view of a future job placement and in view of industry exposure for an aligned and interested choice of career stream.
Internships act as efficient pathways when it comes to finding jobs after school or graduation. Whether you did a paid or unpaid internship, or whether you did a physical or virtual internship, hardly does this matter. What matters is what your company writes for you in their recommendation letter after the completion of the internship, and what skillset are you able to exhibit to the future employer.
Why Virtual Internships?
As a high schooler you might not have the opportunity to travel very far off from your hometown or current residence. Next, your parents might be disinterested to support you with the funds and effort needed for a far off relocation for just a couple of months, or it might not be practical to travel all the way for just an internship interview. There can a number of possibilities. However, this is quite natural and normal because it is tough to devote trust and money at this stage, when the outcome is totally in the blue and not something of immediate urgency.
However, at the same time, your dream company, the one you think can make or mar your career, might be located thousands of miles from your place? So, what do you do? Well, the easy answer is a virtual internship. Most companies today if not all, offer the provision of virtual internships for students too. Covid-19 honestly has been a major influencer, but all for the good! Students can choose any company irrespective of the place, location or timezome and apply for an internship. You just need to know your interest and choice of company and virtual has taken care of the rest.
Another Perspective on High School Virtual Internships
Another factor is, at this young and inexperienced stage of life, many students are infatuated towards some careers while actually, when they are on-the-job during the internship, they realize this is not something theyâd like to pursue lifelong.
Virtual internships have easier entry and exit routes as compared to their physical counterparts. You have not spent anything (time, effort or money) on relocation, you do not have to hide faces from your workstation bosses, you do not have to make any excuses in a virtual setting. No, we do not say that you disappear in a virtual setting, you still make an informed exit, however, it is definitely easier and faster.
Last but not the least, many professions these days require virtual operators. For example, if you are into an artificial intelligence team, or a programmer, or a voice jockey, or want to continue as a freelancer, working your internship as a high school student virtually with some company at this stage might help better. Your future employer will already know a little of your personality bent as being flexible and more independent when you opt in for a virtual internship.
Therefore, you need to figure out your own likes and dislikes first, and then move towards a high school virtual internship if you find that the right fit.
