The 2021 PrepareRI Innovation Challenge Runs from July 12 – August 25, 2021
The PrepareRI Innovation Challenge is a paid, virtual internship experience that challenges high school interns from across Rhode Island to build viable solutions that address the real-world challenges that companies and industries are facing.
- Nearly 300 Interns
- 16 Student-Run “Corporations”
- 16 Employer Sponsors Providing Challenging Problem Statements
- Hundreds of Mentors, Coaches and Guest Speakers
- Fast-Paced Competition with Live, Interactive Scoreboard
What is the PrepareRI Internship Program?
2021 internships are 100% virtual
Open to high school juniors attending a public high school in RI
Interns are required to attend a virtual orientation bootcamp
Interns will be paid during their time in the program
The PrepareRI Virtual Internship Program is a “work-based learning experience” for public high school students who are current high school juniors and are planning for college or a career upon graduation. Research suggests work-based learning helps student link learning with classroom instruction, leads to high graduation rates, gives students ownership of their learning and career exploration and helps students develop critical soft skills.
The PrepareRI Virtual Internship Program provides students opportunities to explore careers via virtual project based learning experiences through paid summer internships. It represents a strategic partnership between the Rhode Island government, private industry leaders, the public education system, universities, and non-profits across the state.
Questions or Concerns?
Contact SkillsRI at 401-680-5960 or prepareri@skillsforri.com
LEARN
PrepareRI Interns learn critical work readiness skills, explore careers and learn about real workplace expectations.
EARN
PrepareRI Interns are paid $11.50/hour and can work up to 32 hours per week for 7 weeks during summer of 2021.
CONNECT
PrepareRI Interns make connections with top RI employers and peers. Get a jump start on your career and build your resume.
Mallory Alves, Mount Hope High School, Care New England
Christopher Teng, East Greenwich High, Hasbro
Sample of Past Internship Employer Partners
Virtual Internships as Work-Based Learning
As COVID-19 quickly impacted plans for the 2020 high school internship program, SkillsRI launched an entirely reimagined PrepareRI summer internship program that brought together high school and college interns from across Rhode Island for a real-world view into the evolving work landscape.
The COVID-19 Innovation Challenge presented an engaging virtual internship experience that encompassed gamification and challenges, team-engagement, professional communication and innovative research and design. Interns formed their own student-run corporations, collaborated across remote teams, built and pitched viable solutions that addressed real-world challenges companies and industries are actively facing due to COVID-19.
Visit http://www.empowerinterns.org to view last year’s virtual internship program!
Thank You to Our Funders and Partners
