Tag Archives: Skills

I went to a small high school with extremely limited class choices. The only language available to take was Spanish, and the electives didn’t go much beyond drama or choir. When I decided to go to Indiana University, I was so excited to have a variety of options. IU is huge—I could learn anything I wanted to! I could learn how to write code, then turn around and read about famous Mexican muralists, then get some advice from a Pulitzer-winning journalist. (All things I’ve done, by the way. Thanks, IU!) The possibilities were endless.

As I progressed in my college career, I realized how difficult it is to master more than a few skills or subjects. It seemed like every job opportunity I came across wanted me to have infinite abilities—writing, editing, graphic design, social media, videography, photography, web design, event planning, marketing, and the list goes on. Overwhelmed by …

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Should I get a part-time job? Should I go to the gym this morning, or just skip it and have pizza for lunch? Well, since I have a test tomorrow, maybe I should go to the library. But it looks way too nice outside to stay indoors. Should I start looking into graduate schools? Ugh! Decisions, decisions, decisions…

If you’re anything like me, then this is a typical day in your life. Let’s face it – every day we encounter choices in our lives. From the time we wake up to the time we go to sleep, we’ve already made hundreds of decisions throughout the day. Some are conscious and intentional, like choosing outfits, deciding what to eat and when to walk the dog. Other decisions are made subconsciously and automatic, much like how our brain solves problems and processes memories from the day during our sleep and dream cycles. …

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This week, Indiana INTERNnet partnered with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis to host our second intern engagement event. Several local companies and their interns enjoyed a day off of their normal work routine and networked with mentors and peers. We wanted to provide an opportunity for the students to enhance their social and professional networks, devote time to career development, and have FUN! Since the Children’s Museum is the “biggest and best” in the world, we knew this would be a day to remember!

The morning started with professional development where students learned about the museum’s fantastic internship program. In 2012, Vault, Inc. named the museum’s internship program one of the top 10 non-profit programs for interns in the nation. In 2013, Indiana INTERNnet named The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Employer of the Year at the annual IMPACT Awards luncheon (LINK). Many were surprised to hear the Children’s Museum …

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Whether you’re a student preparing for your first internship or fifth, one of the best ways to begin a new career experience is to set goals.

This may seem like a simple task, but setting aside time to create legitimate objectives can improve your enthusiasm and outcomes during an internship. Breaking down goals into three areas will make it even easier.

Here is a great place to start:

Industry-specific goals These goals are set with the intent to apply theory-based knowledge from your classroom directly to your tasks and projects during the internship. Learn new industry skills and the techniques that other employees know best. Absorb the language of the business and be ready to be a hands-on learner. If you are in marketing, maybe you’ll learn design and Photoshop. If you are in informatics and computing, perhaps you’ll learn Java or coding. If you are learning a new software …

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Jack Hope (Hope Plumbing) presenting on the skills gap at Perry Meridian High School

We had the pleasure of presenting Indiana INTERNnet (and Indiana Skills) to eight classes of Perry Meridian High School students last Friday. It was great to see the attention students paid to these important topics – we had students ask us about training for jobs in sonography, truck driving and public safety.

“…many students don’t understand their post-secondary options outside of four-year college.”

We talked with the students about the importance of experiential learning no matter what career track you are on.

We had the added pleasure of being joined by Jack Hope, owner of Hope Plumbing in Indianapolis. Hope has become a terrific partner to Ready Indiana with his dedication to encouraging students to consider middle-skill careers. We know the demand and the rewards are there, but we find that many students don’t understand their …

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