CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi is aiding students with securing paid internships opportunities.
With the help of Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), students will have the opportunity to have more access to paid internships that are valued at nearly $250,000.
According to a press release from TAMU-CC, the support from the grant will help the higher learning institution with the following:
- Convert 13 non-paid internships to paid work-based learning opportunities at the City of Corpus Christi (the City) and Visit Corpus Christi (formerly the Convention and Visitors Bureau).
- Increase the number of students participating in paid work-based learning opportunities at the City and small business in the Coastal Bend.
- Increase wages for students in paid work-based learn.
College students are no strangers to taking the first initial steps in their careers, which is why internships are a valued starting point for most. With the help of the TAMU-CC Career and Professional Development Center, student interns such as Brian Owens can focus their interests on their desired academic goals.
"I'm thinking about becoming either a software developer or just becoming an IT manager, that would be really great," Owens said. "And I want to use that in order to kind of fund my own business. So that's really my goal."
Kaelum Messer, Internship Coordinator for the center said that juggling a full-time internship can be demanding for students who already have other responsibilities.
"I think a lot of times, students don't realize the commitment and internship requires them, especially through their academic journey," Messer said. "And so a lot of our students are first generation. So with that being said, they do have to pay for bills and different things, and they have financial obligations."
Even though internships provide students with the necessary job skills to succeed in the workforce after graduation, obtaining one can be a time consuming endeavor.
"A lot of that was due to the pandemic," Messer said. "So a lot of our local small businesses were trying to figure out how they were going to move forward with internships. And so I think this grant, and this program is a great opportunity not only for students, but the employers that we partner with, to be able to build those positions."
Messer adds that the program not only prepares students to transition into the workforce, but helps them to realize that their future is whatever they want it to be.
"Through internships in the success stories, I think it also helps the students build confidence in knowing that they have skill sets and experience," Messer said. "That they can move and transition into whatever organization they end up moving, and working with in the future."
For more information about the career center and how they plan to benefit current and future Islanders, click here.
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