Recently, DecisionPathHR had the pleasure of sponsoring the Fab Lab Solution Center Internship program at Jay M. Robinson High School for teenagers who have a passion for engineering and giving back to the community. The idea behind the program is to give students from Cabarrus County schools who are involved in National Academy Foundation (NAF) academies an opportunity to get hands-on experience in a real-world job setting while helping those who need it most.

Students from Jay M. Robinson, Cox Mill, Hickory Ridge, Mt. Pleasant, and NW Cabarrus High Schools’ NAF academies applied for the 120-hour, paid summer internship with 22 students being accepted to participate. These students met with disabled people from the area and got the chance to meet them and try to better understand the day-to-day struggles they face. They then worked in groups to develop solutions to the problems these need seekers cited most often.

DecisionPathHR, a staffing and recruiting firm, donated time and resources to assist the faculty in the process of selecting which interns would be accepted. Recruiters from DecisionPath sat down with 34 prospective students and used their expertise to accept the 22 best applicants into the internship program. Equally as important as getting hands-on experience with the 3-D printers Jay M. Robinson purchased thanks to a grant from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, was developing interpersonal skills and understanding what it is like to be part of a real-world work environment. To ensure this, the DecisionPath recruiters administered performance reviews of the interns, so they could get a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in all areas of the workplace.

Based on conversations with faculty and student participants, the experience far exceeded the expectations of a standard summer internship. The ability to spend time with the end users allowed the interns to truly understand any limitations and to explore alternative means.

It is safe to say the Fab Lab Solution Center Internship at Jay M. Robinson High School was a resounding success and DecisionPathHR could not be prouder to sponsor such a great event.

If you are interested in sponsoring events like these in the future, please contact Kristi Parlier, Academy Coordinator for Jay M. Robinson’s Academy of Engineering and Automation, at Kristi.Parlier@Cabarrus.k12.nc.us and visit https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/domain/7590. They could always use your support.