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Rational Career Exploration Summer Externship

This summer I had the opportunity to attend the High Companies Rational Career Exploration Summer Externship. The purpose of the externship was to inform Lancaster County educators about the numerous STEM job opportunities available in the Lancaster County community. The three-day externship included presentations by leaders from Lancaster County STEM Alliance, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Lancaster Economic Development Company, and from leadership within the High Companies. However, the majority of our time was spent visiting and touring many of the High Companies including High Transit, High Service Center, High Corporate, High Construction, High Concrete and High Steel. During the tours, educators were able to learn about specific occupations and professions at each High Company while experiencing first-hand their projects in action. Each High coworker who spoke detailed their job requirements including job duties, education and soft skills needed to succeed in each position.

While touring we were able to experience High Transit trucks loading and transporting large pieces of concrete to a job site. We saw the High Service Center’s stretcher leveler (which is the length of a football field) stretch a piece of steel that could become part of a families grill or fireplace. We had detailed discussions with the finance, accounting and IT departments at High Corporate. On a High Construction job site, we saw workmen and woman installing drywall, flooring, and facades. At High Concrete, I participated in pouring concrete into a frame that will become the new High Concrete receivables sign that will direct truck drivers to the correct location. And finally, at High Steel, I was trusted to weld two pieces of metal together with some guidance from an experienced welder (believe it or not, that is me in all of the pictures)!

Now it is time for me and the other participating educators to take this authentic learning experience back to our schools to use for the benefit of the rising generations. This experience will allow me to speak intelligently with my future co-op and internship students about the process of taking a piece of steel from a raw material to a finished product. I can discuss the various processes needed to be completed prior to pouring concrete into a wooden frame. I understand the challenges with driving a heavy load to a project site in or out of state. I can communicate the certificates and degrees needed to achieve high priority, high demand and high paying careers within Lancaster County and Pennsylvania. Lastly, I have gained invaluable connections with business leaders and other educators that will lead to tangible job opportunities, internships, guest speakers, mentors, and future business field trips and tours.

I must extend an enormous thank you to all of the employees at High Industries, Lancaster County STEM Alliance, Lancaster Economic Development Company, and Lancaster Chamber of Commerce who spent countless hours preparing this invaluable externship for the educators in our community.  It will be hard to measure the impact this externship will have on Lancaster County students, just know that the impact is great!