FAQ
What is a "student Intern"
Project Opportunity is a transition program for the participants and their families. Part of each student intern's transition into the working world involves the process of viewing him or herself as a young adult vs. a high school student. By referring to them as "student interns", we are reinforcing the fact that, though their internship at Project Opportunity is unpaid, they are gaining real life, transferable skills, and providing a valuable service to the hospital.
How does my son/daughter become a student intern?
Each year we select our student interns from a pool of applicants based on the criteria layed out in the Prospective Students section of the website. This page also includes a link to our pre-application.
Job placements at Vanderbilt are not guaranteed! Because the goal of Project Opportunity is to fill a business need with qualified individuals, we depend on regular job openings to exist before a placement can be made. Our goal is to place our students, but jobs are not created or carved out for them individually. We work with departments to locate potential job openings and tailor our job training to teach our student interns transferable skills that will enable them to be competitive applicants for existing job openings as they come available
What happens if a job placment is not found by May?
If a job opening has not been indentified that fits the skills and qualifications of a student intern by May, the daily job training portion of Project Opportunity will end, but the search will continue! After May, efforts will continue to locate a placement, given that the student intern is qualified to compete for one. If, after meeting as a team with the sudent intern and his/her parents and/or guardians, we determine that a placement is not likely, other community resources will be identitified and/or altnernate locations for employment will be considered. Project Opportunity is committed to pursuing relevant employment options for our student interns, even past May if neccessary.
How will I know how things are going?
On going commnication is the key to success for our student interns, as well as their natural support systems. Project Opportunity will send weekly progress reports/updates via email (or reuglar mail, if you prefer) to the student intern's family. These updates include information on what they are learning, progress in various workplace behaviors, and any problem that are encountered. The information shared is specific to the particular student interns. We also will conduct progress/planning meetings in January that include the Vocational Rehabilitation counselor, plus any other professionals the family would like to include, to discuss progress and plans for the future.
We are so glad you asked! If you know of a family that would benefit from Project Opportunity, please have them contact our Program Coordinator asap. Likewise if you know of a potential donor big or small, please contact our Program Coordinator who will direct them to the development office at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's to be specifially allocate to Project Opportunity.
