Senior Isabelle Knighton is taking the first steps into her career as a civil engineer. She is currently completing an internship with Washington County to gain experience as a transportation engineer. The exposure to real life work in this field is allowing Knighton to figure out what aspects of this career path interests her and what she does not want to do.

Two years ago, Pathways launched a pilot program called directed study. This elective is a chance for students to have meaningful experiences to build career skills while working within the community. Students that chose to take this course, like Knighton, are given the chance to discover their interests. During the first semester of this class, a staff advisor or pathways coordinator set her up with a mentor and the second half of this course is when she takes action and gets an internship.

Knighton explained she found out about the internship through her class called directed study. During the first semester is when she received a mentor. Knighton’s teacher, Bob Manning, set her up with her current boss Gerritt Bangma. He started off as her mentor and then he had an opening for an internship. Knighton applied and she got it.

An internship like this allows Knighton to assist and contribute to a team of her own. During the hours spent at the internship, Knighton is engaging with co-workers all around her to help provide her with work experience and new skills. Over the years, internships have evolved from doing small tasks into much bigger and meaningful tasks. 

During the school year, Knighton said she deals with the GIS.

“That is a geographical information system. That is on the computer, I’m logging things. That is all the stop signs, all the speed limits and all of that stuff, I have entered into a data system.” Knighton said.

Doing an internship while students are still in high school can help push students out of their comfort zone and show them what their likes and dislikes are. Internships prepare them for after high school. Students can put internships on their resume to show their work ethic in prior experiences. It is attractive to future employers to choose who they would want to hire. Not only does it look attractive to future employers, but colleges also take interest in students who have done internships.  

Knighton’s co-worker Erin Clarkowski explained how there were not strong partnerships with industry professionals when she was in high school and how she wishes she had that opportunity.   

Clarkowski explained how Knighton is hard working and detail oriented. When going into the field it is important to have both of those characteristics. It is especially important to pay attention to detail. Knighton has a big future ahead of her with how much thinking she is already doing towards internships and her future career. 

¨ I do not think I was as forward thinking as she is now and I think that is really impressive. That is why I think she will go far in this career.¨Clarkowski said.