The Hemet Unified School District (HUSD) Summer Internship Program provides high school students with the opportunity to gain real-world work experience while helping them explore future career pathways. Through hands-on learning opportunities across district departments, students can build professional skills, explore potential career paths, and earn school credit as they prepare for college, careers, and life beyond graduation
The Hemet Unified School District offers internships in three different departments: Information Technology (IT), Print Shop, and Communications. Each department provides students with unique learning experiences and plays an important role in supporting the district.
The IT Department provides technology support for students, staff, and district sites. Interns in this department gain hands-on experience troubleshooting devices, assisting with technology needs, and learning about the systems that help schools operate efficiently each day. The IT student intern, Anahi Jimenez shared, “The summer internship at the IT department has been a very valuable and intriguing experience. I have worked from replacing keyboards to fully disassembling a laptop. The IT department has been extremely helpful and welcoming, which I appreciate since before this opportunity I had very minimal knowledge of IT and what they do. It has made me step behind the scenes into what really goes into play when it comes to the technology in the district. Overall, it has given me both digital and hands-on experience that is very useful while also having fun!”
The Print Shop Department is responsible for managing the district’s high-volume printing and reprographic needs, creating materials that support classrooms, school sites and district departments. The department produces a variety of materials, including banners, planners, flyers, calendars, and other resources used throughout the district. Students working in the Print Shop gain experience with production processes, organization, and quality control. The Print Shop intern Taleah Wallace reflected on her experience saying, “Working in the print shop taught me discipline, teamwork, and how to balance speed with precision. I strengthened my ability to multitask, stay organized, and deliver quality work under pressure while meeting strict deadlines.”
The Communications Department oversees district-wide communication efforts that help keep students, families, staff, and the community informed and engaged. Through social media, photography, videography, graphic design and storytelling, interns gain insight into how strategic communication supports public education. The department also manages the logistics for many of the district programs and events. The Communications Department intern Hannah McKnight shared her experience working in the Communications Department, stating, “During my time in the summer internship, I learned about something very important: community. While interning in the communications department, I had the privilege of getting to know everyone who makes HUSD a whole. I saw how everyone worked together to form something effective, meaningful, and impactful. It takes a community and teamwork to form something lasting.”
This summer internship program has helped students gain invaluable real-world experience while working within the Hemet Unified School District. In addition to earning school credit, students have the opportunity to participate in field trips, develop professional skills, and receive letters of recommendation that can support their future educational and career goals. The program is coordinated through HUSD’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Department. Mrs. Bunn, the teacher of record for the program shared, “I have the privilege of being the teacher of record for the CTE summer internship program and I could not love it more! I think this internship experience is a great way for students to explore career opportunities they can pursue either right after high school or after college. The best part about the internship is seeing all of the cool skills that the students complete in the different departments and to work with a small group of students, making it easier to build rapport. I have also gained a better understanding of what each department (IT, print shop, communications) does every day and a better understanding of where everything is at the district office.”
This marks the third year of the HUSD Summer Internship Program. As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to provide even more students with meaningful opportunities to gain experience, build confidence, develop professional relationships, and prepare for their future educational and career pursuits.
