INTERNNECT

Regional high school internship experience led by industry, administered by intermediaries, and facilitated by teachers.

Learn by Doing.

California Polytechnic State University
San Luis Obispo

"Think with your hands."

Tom Fowler
Cal Poly Architecture Professor
Director of Architecture Graduate Program

"Think Big.  Start Small.  Work Fast."

California Career Pathways Trust Institute

MISSION

The mission of this internship experience is to provide career experiences across the Tulare and Kings County region who will learn and prosper together.  In the effort to redefine traditional internships, we aim to create an environment where several schools work in interdisciplinary teams while being mentored by industry professionals through virtual communication, collaboration, and problem solving.

INTERNNECT's first pilot group of students from Harmony Magnet Academy present their models of their performing arts building to a group of educators, professionals, and business partners where they focus on building design fundamentals: Form, Function, and Structure.

PROCESS

Through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, school teams made up of educators, students, and industry mentors submit their Statement of Qualifications to enter a design competition.  Once selected, teams respond to a Request for Proposal (RFP) by providing their design proposals for a particular project.  Milestone meetings are scheduled which allow them to refine their proposals throughout the 6 month process.  In addition, virtual learning sessions give them authentic and professional experiences needed to complete the project.  These interactions include physical office visits, post-secondary collaboration, and construction site visits as well as virtual industry mentor lectures.

Request for Information (RFI's) are encouraged for submission during the project that allow teams to ask specific questions that will be responded by the industry professionals.  Their design proposals are then reviewed at the end of the project through a paper screening process prior to their final interviews in which they are required to present their proposals to a panel of professionals who will score them based on how well they've communicated their research, analysis, and design solutions.

Through this rigorous and relevant process, students build upon and acquire new skills that will prepare them for college and career.  Educators also go through an informal externship process that allow them to integrate real-world industry topics into their curriculum.  INTERNNECT projects are designed to understand the needs of our school districts which will ultimately enhance the learning environment.

Interns hard at work on their sandcastle competition while taking a break from their University collaboration with 3rd year Architecture students from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California.