Do you need technology support? Do you have a project that’s been on the backburner far too long? Is there digital media work you do regularly with which you would love help? Do you need a website?
Information Technology Academy (ITA) seeks technology-related internship placements for approximately 45 high school students each summer. ITA rising juniors in Madison and ITA rising seniors in Oneida and Lac du Flambeau must complete at least 60 hours of work during June and July of each year. We welcome internship opportunities that extend beyond the minimum 60 hours. Internships allow students to apply their skills in a professional setting. The goals of the ITA internship program are for students to meet four objectives:
- Explore a career
- Develop workplace skills
- Use technology skills in the real world
- Reflect on the real-world work experience
Previous internships included project-based work such as developing a website or producing a newsletter and filling ongoing needs such as “help desk” support or computer hardware repair and upgrading. Internship hosts benefit from the students’ rich array of technology skills while supporting students’ development, career exploration and college preparation.
About the Students
All participating ITA student-interns will have had two years of formal technology instruction, including the following:
- Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel/Spreadsheets
- Graphic Design and Photography
- Web Design and Development (HTML/CSS, basic JavaScript and Site Maintenance)
- Digital Video and Audio Editing
- Computer Hardware
- Basic Operating Systems and Computer Maintenance
- Basic Programming (Levels Vary Due to Opportunities for Self-Study)
While all students aim to use their technology skills in a real-world setting, the range of students’ interests is broad, and we encourage them to take on work that would build on their resumes and technology portfolios in areas that interest them personally.
Logistical Details
Work Locations
- For Madison-based students, all internships take place on the UW-Madison campus with faculty or staff.
- For ITA students based in Oneida or Lac du Flambeau, internships take place in a variety of community settings, including tribal government entities, small and local businesses, non-profit organizations, and academia.
Intern Host Responsibilities
- Attend an Orientation (Optional)
- Provide a safe workspace and necessary equipment (Required)
- Supervise the student (Required)
- Compensate the student for some/all of the 60 hours of work or for the full duration of the internship (Optional)
Human Resources Requirements
- Forms
- Submit a position description to ITA via email with potential internship projects or to explore ideas.
- Supervision
- The main supervisor of the internship is subject to a pre-college criminal background check and must complete an online training about mandatory reporting. This confidential process is facilitated by the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) Human Resource department at no cost to the internship host. This is to ensure the safety of the youth in our pre-college programs. Internship hosts who do not wish to complete a background check may be able to host interns, provided that student-interns and their families sign a waiver.
- Cost
- ITA welcomes and appreciates when intern hosts can compensate interns for their work. However, if no funding is available, ITA will cover the cost of the internship.
- ITA Madison university-based internship hosts with available funding will be asked to provide their department’s funding stream string to DoIT Human Resources.
Timeline and Selection Process
- Internship selection is a competitive process. Although ITA accepts position descriptions from hosts on an ongoing basis, to ensure the best student match for your needs, ITA encourages you to submit your position description as soon as possible.
- Students prepare and submit their cover letters and resumes.
- Students assess internship placements and specify their preferences based on interest.
- Final internship placements are made by early June.
If you are interested in hosting an ITA, please contact ITA via email.