“Phenomenal” new internship program for recent high school graduates launched

Highschool graduates

May 9, 2023

A new summer internship program that combines hands-on experience with career development training is now accepting applications from recent high school graduates interested in a career in health care.

The London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) Transformation Trailblazers Summer Internship program is a seven-week paid program open to those who are graduating from high school this year or within the last four years. High school graduates from 2022 or earlier cannot be attending or enrolled at a post-secondary institution. Those graduating this June may be enrolled at a post-secondary institution for a start in September.

“It’s a phenomenal chance to enhance their skill set and get exposure to a good cross section of what’s involved in health care, from the clinical to the non-clinical,” explains Kristin Stillert, Director of Recruitment and Volunteer Services. “We’re hoping it sparks interest and passion in a career in health care.”

Those eligible can apply online until May 26, 2023, at 4 p.m. for one of the available positions. Successful candidates will be selected through a random lottery. They will work 37.5 hours a week from July 10 to August 25, 2023, and earn $20 per hour.

What makes this program different from a regular summer job is that it combines hands-on administrative tasks with career-development workshops such as resume writing and personal branding, along with sessions on various clinical and corporate opportunities at LHSC.

“Our goal is to give them opportunities to prepare for entering the workforce and some tangible skills that they can take away,” says LHSC’s Director of Education, Stephanie Ayres. “We will also be looking to expose them to some careers in health care that they might not have known existed,” such as a cardiac perfusionist or a child life specialist.

Some of the responsibilities and opportunities include:

  • Hands on administrative tasks, including filing, organizing documents, creating briefing notes and supporting team members as required.
  • Various workshops and educational opportunities (e.g., building your personal brand, resume writing, preparing for interviews) to enhance career skillsets in preparation for post-secondary education or future job opportunities.
  • Career workshops to provide an overview of clinical (e.g., Nursing, Personal Support Worker, Health Disciplines) and corporate (e.g., Finance, Communications, Human Resources, Information Technology) opportunities that exist within Team LHSC.
  • Opportunities to work alongside leaders for a day to learn about various operational needs of the organization. As much as possible, this will be tailored based on interest of the intern.

“I often describe the hospital as a small city,” explains Ayres. “We have a broad range of roles in addition to the clinical positions, such as food services, security and different trades that support our organization. There are so many different opportunities within the hospital for people to find employment.”

Learn more about the program Transformation Trailblazers Summer Internship program or apply today!