Internships and Co-Ops
Getting a Sense of the Trade
Milton Hershey School is proud of its robust internship and co-op program. Through the program, students can learn directly from professionals in fields of interest.
Internships and Co-Ops: Student Reflections
Milton Hershey School students have the ability to participate in real-life, hands-on internship experiences. They can intern at a number of area companies as well as the school’s Hershey entity partners. These internships match each student’s chosen career pathway in the school’s award-winning Career and Technical Education program. Through the program, students also learn employability skills, like teamwork, time management, and organization—all qualities that employers value.
Gabe Rojas: Hershey Lodge
Gabe Rojas, a senior, shares what it was like to intern at Hershey Lodge in the Business/Financial Management and Accounting career pathway.
Kelsey Bazan: Harrisburg YWCA
Kelsey Bazan, a junior, shares how her summer internship in the Education and Human Services career pathway helped her give back to the community that supported her during her childhood.
Internships By the Numbers
- 91 high school students participated in the 2019 summer internship program—the program’s highest participation
- 108 high school students gained authentic work experience through internships or co-ops
- 63 seniors in the Class of 2020 completed internships
- 80 members of the Class of 2020 (38%) gained authentic work experience through internships or co-ops
- 15 college classes offered through the CTE program
Internships On Campus
Students also gain valuable experience on campus through internships at the student-run Spartan Ice Cream Center and Project Market through the MHS Agricultural and Environmental Education program. In 2019, 10 high school students interned with the Spartan Ice Cream Center and another nine at Project Market. These internships teach students important lessons such as customer service skills, how math applies to the real world, the importance of punctuality, and the nutritional benefits of healthy fruits and vegetables.
Student Co-Ops
After designating a career pathway, the cooperative education students are placed in a job of their chosen career field. Here, they gain professional experience in the workplace, building on the skills they learned in the classroom and receiving industry-recognized certifications in the process. The student work program allows students to get part-time employment during the summer, after school, or on weekends.
Seniors in the co-op program receive classroom instruction for part of the day and then enter the workforce for the rest of the day. They develop practical skills and hands-on experience. Many continue exploring their fields of interest through an apprenticeship.
More on the MHS Apprenticeship Program
