NAF's Internship Preparation Lessons include content specifically designed to prepare students for internship and internship alternative experiences. The Internship Preparation Lessons help students set individual goals, plan for an intentional first day, and engage confidently in their workplace. These lessons engage students through activity and play, allowing students to take ownership of their own internship readiness. Explore these lessons for strategies that help your students be their authentic selves and thrive in the internship experience.
NAF gathered feedback from school districts, teachers, employer partners, and two special research teams composed of student leaders to identify key objectives as well as build and test content for these lesson plans. In our discussions with educators and students, we encouraged them to share their insights about equity and preparedness. Educators outlined various important themes including imposter syndrome, the importance of future ready/durable skills, and managing student expectations. Many of these same themes were reiterated by students who also included work ethic, the power of networking, and adaptability. In their own words, participants shared insights from internship experiences to articulate how to best prepare students and employers to learn from one another, to communicate, to handle conflict, to change workplace culture, and to create the types of environments where people thrive because of their differences, and not despite them.
Design: Internship Preparation Lessons are designed intentionally to provide the most impactful internship readiness experience. As you implement these lessons, consider the following design elements:
Teacher led, classroom based: These lessons are designed to be teacher led and implemented in a whole-classroom setting (rather than asynchronously, in a virtual environment). Educators lead students through activities, adjusting to best fit their students' needs and internship situations.
Interactive: Internship Preparation Lessons foster student engagement through peer interaction and activate participation. Students practice workplace skills throughout lesson content, learning not only from their educator but each other.
Co-design Approach: NAF's Internship Preparation Lessons were co-designed and piloted with educators and students from the NAF Network. Educators met to provide feedback on content topics and design, implemented lessons with their students and provided insight into engagement and student response. Student focus groups tested lesson activities, providing additional feedback and student voice throughout the pilot experience.
Classroom Implementation: Lessons are designed to prepare all students for success going into and through completion of the internship experience.
The first five lessons focus on skill development, helping students recognize and practice skills they will need to apply to and successfully begin their internship.
Lessons six through ten shift focus, examining situations that could occur on a day-to-day basis during the internship experience. Students engage in scenario-based learning, applying skills to given challenges to better understand their abilities as an intern.
Lesson sequence is flexible and can be implemented to best fit your classroom needs. Each lesson is "stand alone" and does not require other modules as a prerequisite for implementation.
It is recommended that teachers view the Internship Preparation Lessons video before beginning implementation.
Providing continuous opportunities to develop skills throughout their internship preparation experience allows all students to see themselves as a capable and contributing member of a professional workplace. NAF's Internship Preparation Lessons allow students to develop and practice many college and career readiness skills through activities focused on individual growth and practical application.
Students explore:
Understanding strengths and setting goals
Verbal and written communication
Problem solving in the workplace
Navigating intern roles within a team
Self-motivation and project management
Meeting and business etiquette
Networking and making connections
Note: In preparing students to navigate the dynamics of diversity and professional environments, the phenomenon of "code switching" was discussed by students and teachers as an important, yet controversial set. Code-switching is practiced as a balancing act between professional acumen, multicultural competence, and maintaining personal authenticity. It is a concept that can be reviewed with students to help them learn to transition from school culture to work culture. Code-switching teaches students not to value a single set of professional cultural standards, but to understand there are different types of communication, collaboration processes, and standards depending on the industry and community. There is no "right" way of working or being in these settings; on the contrary, code switching is a lens used to help students identify the different cultures they may find themselves in and then empowers them to make choices about how they want to authentically "show up" in these environments.
All Internship Preparation Lessons can be accessed through ASH
Lessons are presented in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. Instructions for making digital copies and edits of these documents are included within the lessons
My Story, Strengths, Goals
My First Day
On the Job (Verbal Communication)
On the Job (Written Communication)
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Monday Meetings
Let's Get Lunch
Busy Project Week
Supervisor's Vacation
Farewell, but Not Goodbye
