Whether it is showing your outstanding skills or proving that you are more qualified than the person next to you, life may seem like a constant competition. It is an endless cycle of trying to get ahead of the rest of the pack. The race to be accepted into the best jobs, classes and schools continues and is becoming more cutthroat than ever before. However, there is one thing that can enhance anyone’s resume: internships. Internships are one of the best and easiest ways to gain real world experience through observation and practice.

An internship expands your horizons and opportunities for the future. They can open doors leading to many different paths, more than ever before. It consists of going into a specific of workplace, and performing the specific tasks delegated to you. Frequently without pay, interns gain work experience in their intended field. Many people who are serious about a certain area of the work force apply for an internship to find out if they could see themselves in that career. It enables a person to take their career for a test drive.

Senior Leigh Ann Rodgers likes to express herself through photography. It is important to her and one of her favorite hobbies. She plans to make it her career in the future. To get a taste of a what a photographer’s everyday life is comprised of, she decided to take advantage of an internship that was brought to her attention. She currently helps Mr. Silveira take action shots of the different sports teams at the high school.

“I help take pictures at the sports games for RIIL. I have shot soccer, hockey, and plan to go to many softball games,” said Rodgers.

Gaining experience is always a major plus. In Rodger’s situation, she now has the ability to display her background in photography to employers or potential bosses. There is also another benefit to these jobs;  gaining the skills and knowledge needed to excel in your field. This is something that senior Kevin Barry knows very well. Barry currently interns at the personal training and sports performance gym, Perfectly Fit, in East Greenwich. He goes into the gym a few times a week and helps clean the equipment, vacuum, coordinate scheduling, and plans to begin training people.

“I do plan on working for a trainer someday because I do know a lot about the business end of it,” said Barry. “But if it comes to it, I’d love to be a personal trainer on the side in the future.”

By dedicating much of his time and effort into this internship, he immersed himself into the training atmosphere and has learned a lot from it.

“I’m learning everything it takes to be a personal trainer and run a good business,” said Barry.

NK offers various in-school internship opportunities during fifth period for those interested. Students are able to observe, help and shadow current staff members around the school in different job positions. This serves as a substitute for an elective that semester. They also have the option to partake in an approved internship outside of the school, such as at a yoga studio or physical therapy office, like many students have in the past.

“Completing an internship during the senior year of high school allows students to work alongside someone who is knowledgeable about the career the student is interested in pursuing, “ said Joy Tavano. “Internships can be very eye opening and can sometimes even tell a student that what they thought they wanted to do in the future, is not really for them.”

Internships can ultimately direct a person in the right direction. Not only are they beneficial for gaining experience and expanding resumes, but they can also help a person gather knowledge for their future paths in the workforce.