By Janice Phelan,
April 21, 2023
Missouri Innovation Campus program high school juniors recently learned their placements
for three-year, paid internships beginning in June. Students in the morning session
are in the top photo with students in the afternoon session in the lower photo.
Missouri Innovation Campus (MIC) program 2022 cohort students were recently paired
with industry-leading companies through the nationally recognized initiative’s unique
internship program. The high-school juniors will participate in valuable three-year,
paid internships with their assigned businesses.
Companies recently matched with interns, along with the students’ MIC degree program,
include SS&C (Software Development), Olsson Engineering (Design and Drafting), eHawk
(Software Development), Black & Veatch (Design and Drafting), McKesson (Software Development
and Cybersecurity), UMB (Big Data and Software Development, Lead Bank (Big Data),
Community America (Big Data), Tyler Technologies (Software Development), Burns & McDonnell
(Design and Drafting) and Cyderes (Cybersecurity).
The MIC program, which began in 2012, is a partnership involving the University of
Central Missouri, Metropolitan Community College, the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District
and metro-area businesses. Students enrolled in the MIC program have the opportunity
to earn a bachelor’s degree in a high-demand field just two years after high-school
graduation – with little or no student debt. A vital component of the successful program
is its three-year paid internships, beginning just after each student’s junior year
in high school. The interns are able to apply what they are learning in the classroom
while working as a valued team member at the companies.
MIC program participants begin this accelerated bachelor’s degree program at the Lee’s
Summit R-7 School District’s Summit Technology Academy where they are enrolled in
one of these capstone courses – Big Data and Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital
Electronics/Engineering Technology/Design and Drafting, Software Development/Computer
Science, Software Engineering and Computer Information Systems.
Preparing for the three-year internships starts several months before the students
are placed with each company. Beginning in fall 2022, students participate in resume
writing and interviewing skills workshops, mock interviews and a job readiness/soft
skills workshop. In addition, the students’ families participate in a parent informational
meeting about the internships.
MIC program students begin their internships in June with each business creating relevant,
real-life job experiences over the three-year placement. Among the program’s graduates,
91 percent traditionally accept a position with the company where they interned with
close to 99 percent accepting a job with a MIC program partner.
For more information about the Missouri Innovation Campus program, visit this webpage.