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Kokomo schools pair students with big companies for internships

KOKOMO, IN (WISH) – A new program at Kokomo High School is pairing students up with companies for a unique learning experience. Students will be doing internships that are typically reserved for college students.

Zack Smallwood is going to be a senior at Kokomo this year. He was one of the students selected for a paid internship with Coca-Cola.

“I’m very excited for the opportunity through the career center,” Smallwood said. “To be able to intern with some big companies, you know, really learn how the business world works before I go to college and decide what I want to do.”

He will get to work in numerous divisions at the Coca-Cola plant in Kokomo, including marketing, sales, finance and customer service.

“They’re really going to step into our world and, you know, see what we do on a daily basis,” said Brandon Bishop, a market manager with Coca-Cola.

Bishop says he’s excited about the possibilities this new program will provide for students.

“It’s just going to jump start their college education and really fine tune what they want to do later in life,” Bishop said.

It also teaches the students about the process of applying for jobs.

“I filled out a resume type sheet, said why I wanted to join this program. I had to do a cover letter which was something I haven’t had to do yet, so it was really cool getting that experience,” Smallwood described.

The program could also set students up for future internships and jobs as they complete college, possibly bringing them back to Kokomo later in life.

“Maybe after their first or second year of college they come back and they intern for us again and after they graduate, you know, we’re not going anywhere. We’re always looking for quality people to bring people back to Kokomo, too. That would be a plus in this,” Bishop said.

The principal of the Kokomo Area Career Center said he has a similar vision for the program.

“Our goal is to also hopefully bring some kids back in to our community that have been part of our community and hopefully them getting tied to some of our businesses and our community partnerships like this will bring them back into our community as well,” says Jonathan Schuck with the Kokomo Area Career Center.

Smallwood has his own career goals.

“I would like to be able to start either working as a marketing manager, something along those lines for a big company or start my own marketing firm,” he said.

The principal at the career center said five students were selected for the business workplace learning program this year. He said the goal is to eventually expand the program to 100 students over the next five years.