Minnesota Life College (MN), where we teach Real Skills for Real Life, is currently enrolling for our popular Summer Internship Program (SIP). Designed for students ages 17-20, SIP is a three-week session running July 10-29, where students get a taste of independence through apartment living, job site internships, vocational skills classes, and structured social programming designed to increase confidence, encourage problem solving, and build friendships.
Many young people with ASD and learning differences struggle to get and keep jobs, making building a resume very challenging. At Minnesota Life College's Summer Internship Program, our focus is on preparing students for the world of work through real-life internship experiences with local companies. Each day our program begins with communal breakfast, a time to talk about the day's events, practice social skills, and increase independence by packing a lunch to take to a worksite. After breakfast, students attend a daily vocational skills class covering issues such as:
- professional attire at work
- what to do if you get sick on the job
- dealing with challenging coworkers
- how to ask for a promotion
- interview dos and don'ts
- and more!
After class, small groups of students, supported by a job coach, head out to internship sites around the community. Students will spend 3-5 hours per day in these entry-level positions, working in retail, customer service, housekeeping and light maintenance, and manufacturing. Minnesota Life College has wonderful community partnerships with local businesses who are excited to have our participants learning Real Skills for Real Life at their site.
Once the work day is done, it is time for some fun! Students relax by our pool, play games or watch TV in our student center, hang out in the courtyard, or go across the street to the park to shoot hoops. Each evening, a small group of students is assigned to cook dinner for all program participants. With the support of staff, they menu plan, go to the grocery store, cook a delicious meal, and even do clean-up -- for many of them, it's the first time they've ever done these tasks!
Evenings we go out and about, whether it is mini-golfing, to one of the Twin Cities' many outdoor fairs and festivals, exploring the Sculpture Garden, or hitting up a Twins game, there is always a new and exciting adventure, an opportunity for laughter and new experiences, and a chance to make lasting memories. A parent of one of last year's students said "for the first time, I saw that she had real friends. She even created a Facebook page so she could keep track of them. Other parents are frightened of social media use, but I was ecstatic -- she was doing something that other young people do!"
If you are looking for a chance to take a SIP out of summer, and experience what an independent life could look like, visit Minnesota Life College today!