ABC 7 News – by Alison Starling –
It’s almost summer and that means internships will begin, where students can learn what it’s really like in the workplace.
One D.C. program is helping at-risk young people learn about the technology field, and create a brighter future as we come out of this pandemic.
Like many young people, Kevin Diaz has watched his family, who immigrated here from El Salvador, struggle during the pandemic.
“Unfortunately my dad was laid off because of the pandemic but I’m definitely using this as a learning experience because now, they’re honestly depending on me,” Diaz said. “When I get out of college I’ve got to get my stuff ready and make sure I am there for them like they were there for me.”
Part of his journey to success was this summer internship program with Rockville-based tech company “Acquired Data Solutions.” He’s going to be studying technology at Ohio University in the fall.
Last year he was an intern. Now Diaz has been hired to help the next group of underserved D.C. youth in the program.
“The work they’re giving me, I love it, I truly love it,” he said. “Because it’s work from all different aspects of careers so every day I’m learning what can I learn from this, do I like it, do I not like it?”
And ADS CEO Steve Seiden says they are in no rush to get this internship back to “in person.”
“Most of the work is going to be remote or teleworking for a long time so giving these kids the foundational skills around how to show up how to telework, how to remote in, I think is critical in their transformation of their own lives,” Seiden said. “But the skills really are time management, and collaboration, and being able to communicate effectively when you’re not next to the person.”
Those are skills that Tasia Fuller, also a former intern, is passing along as a counselor.
“I just love have the opportunity to grow in myself and in my future,” Fuller said.
She’ll be a senior at George Mason next year, ready to share her knowledge, and prepare for a job in the IT field.
“I hope they take that this is a rare opportunity that many don’t have so I think that if they really invest their time and genuinely want to learn a lot of the skills like collaboration and a new mindset, leadership, a lot of these can come from this opportunity,” she said.
This is a paid internship for the students. It’s part of the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program.