Based on an interview by intern Spencer Bates, class of 2024.

Westfield High school seniors can choose an internship program to obtain real-world experience in career paths like manufacturing, nursing, and many others. Based on student career interests, Mrs. Healy contacts local businesses where they can get started.  Popular placements include Parks, Health Care, Utilities, Real Estate, Stables,  Optometry, Radiology, Manufacturing, Fire Department, Automotive, and Legal Offices.

Beyond career-specific work, all students in the Internship program learn to be goal-oriented, manage time well and deal with new challenges every day.  Student interns get deep personal support during the program and even after they graduate, for college application and job hunting.  College recruiters value internship experience highly and often visit.

Stipends for internship work through MassHire and  Innovative Pathways are available based on financial need, enabling students who would otherwise need to work afterschool on jobs unrelated to career interests to participate in the program.  

Mrs. Healy also supports military recruitment, scheduling time for ASVAB tests and other times for their results to be explained. She is assisted in program outreach and management by her own student interns and other community/school members.  No matter the cost or the effort, she goes out of its way to make each internship a success. 

Student interns are able to leave school 1 hour prior to everyone else on most days, in order to get to their work sites or do other things they need for the required 10 hours of work per week.  Interns must submit weekly time cards  to document the hours worked. Each time card must be filled out, dated, and signed by a supervisor or boss.

The Career Center also hosts field trips to area businesses and fairs, and assists in arranging job shadow days and summer opportunities such as Massachusetts State Police, Baystate Noble Student Ambassadors Program and Elm Electric's Elm Future's Program.

To join the program, students need signed contracts from a parent and the employer, and a resume which must be well put together and presentable to an actual employer and is created as part of the class. There may rarely be a performance assessment task to complete as well.

Student Comments:

"When there are days full of tasks, like the everyday ones we all do, the program helps us learn to manage time. Because we are not driven by class periods and group assignments, we get an opportunity to focus on ourselves and feel some independence

“In the time I’ve spent doing Internship at the high school I’ve noticed what responsibility really means. When the time comes for things to get done you need to be ready. You need to hold expectations and work to meet them.  You have to always be ready to take the next step no matter what day it is.  Thanks to the program I learned how important time management is and how much can be done within short blocks of time."