Growing Number Of West Shore Students Interning
Exercise Science YMCA interns (front row from left): Evan Gardner, Ryan Sterling, Luke Anderson
Back row (from left): Frank Revy, Russell Oldfield
The West Shore Career-Technical District provides hands-on learning in their 13 programs aimed toward preparing students for college and careers. Now, some West Shore students are taking their hands-on learning a step further into the real world with internships in the community.
Five students in Dan Popio’s Exercise and Sports Science program have landed internships as wellness consultants with the Lakewood YMCA. Two of Cassie Tetorakis’ students in the Business Management program are working with the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and two are interning at Laskey Costello accounting firm and two at Stepan CPA Firm in Lakewood.
These hands-on experiences provide students with invaluable industry knowledge, professional connections, and a strong addition to their resumes. This opportunity not only prepares them for future careers but also showcases the power of career-tech education in bridging the gap between education and employment.
YMCA interns Luke Anderson, Evan Gardner, Russell Oldfield, Frank Revy and Ryan Sterling work approximately six hours a week with duties such as leading fitness center orientations for teens, assisting with teen strength and conditioning training programs and giving 30-minute introductions to personal training.
Ryan is eager to dig into his work at the Y and test out the skills he has been learning in class: “There is an extremely practical crossover between the two, everything we've done in Sports Exercise Science has been in preparation for a job that is in that field of work,” he said.
Laskey Costello intern Mihai Bogdan-Chindea says he puts in approximately 20 hours a week for his paid internship at the firm and is sharpening his skills learned in class like Excel and other Microsoft applications while also learning new accounting software programs such as QuickBooks, Onvio, and UltraTax. Brayden McCarthy of Rocky River High School is also interning at the CPA firm. Nathan Kopko and Steven Mattar are interning at Stepan.
At the Chamber, Lay Phalt Htoo and Ella Hyatt will be assisting with event planning and administrative tasks as well as monitor members’ social media accounts to share good news they may post and sit in on meetings with local businesses.
West Shore is looking for more local businesses and organizations to consider offering internships to its students. By partnering with West Shore, employers can play a pivotal role in nurturing the workforce of tomorrow and building a stronger community. If interested, you can reach out to West Shore at 216-529-4155 or email [email protected].