While most high school and college students file paperwork during their summer internships, 34 aspiring professionals got real-life experience thanks to Commissioner Barbara Jordan’s Summer Youth Internship Initiative (SYII). For eight to 10 weeks, students were paid to gain valuable work experience in County government and the private sector.
One of the students in the SYII program was 19-year old Alexis Alexander, a sophomore at Florida Memorial University in Miami who is majoring in Criminal Justice. She interned in the exciting field of aviation at Orion Jet Center, located at the Miami Opa Locka Executive Airport.
“I found that Orion Jet Center was very family-oriented,” said Alexander, who was ecstatic about her temporary employment experience. “I was able to develop my communication, social, organizational and commercial awareness skills.”
“Collectively, businesses in the SYII program are grooming tomorrow’s leaders to carry the torch of providing first-class customer service and industry best practices,” Jordan said. “These companies are making an investment in human capital and the students are appreciative of their commitment.”
Nineteen-year old Keith Royce, a native of Nassau, Bahamas, is currently a senior majoring in computer science with a concentration in mathematics at Florida Memorial University. He intends to fulfill his dream of becoming a renowned software engineer.
“Working with the Summer Youth Internship Initiative program has been one of the best experiences of my life,” said Roye, who interned at MCO Construction. “It was a very humbling and exciting opportunity for me, as I was taught so many life lessons both in and out of the office.”
Entering the SYII program was no walk in the park. Students underwent an extensive interview process. They were also required to attend a daylong orientation session with a motivational speaker, life coach and several entrepreneurs.
Kasia Tremble, a sophomore at Miami-Dade College, attended the orientation session, which was inspirational for her since she is majoring in Interior Design. The 19-year old, who is creative in all aspects of life, plans to focus on innovation. This summer, Tremble was placed in Jordan’s downtown office, where she obtained experience in local government. She now understands that business owners must interact with the County before launching their establishments.
"Working with District 1 staff was one of the greatest experiences for me," said Tremble who attended meetings alongside Jordan, which helped her learn about her hometown. "It was like O went behind the scenes of what holds Miami-Dade County together."
“Each year, my goal is to open the window of opportunity for young men and women who are eager to enter the workforce,” Jordan said. “I feel that it is my obligation to adequately prepare them for real-life situations. I am confident that my office and our business partners have done just that.”