Introduction to Plano’s Summer Internship Program
For many teenagers, summer means days by the pool, a job scooping ice cream or putting off summer homework until the last week of break. But for a cohort of ambitious teens in Plano, this summer has also meant career advancement.
On National Intern Day, July 31, Plano celebrated a milestone in the city’s internship program, reaching more than 1,000 students placed in summer jobs to launch their careers, connect with Plano’s business community and develop professional skills since the program was founded in 2014.
At a luncheon, the city recognized 87 Plano Independent School District high school students in the 12th cohort of the Plano Mayor’s Summer Internship Program, which seeks to prepare students to enter the workforce, bridging the gap between what they learn in classrooms and what they will face on the job.
Hundreds of interns, business executives and city leaders packed into an event hall wearing business casual Thursday to celebrate the program’s decade of success.
Benefits of the Program
Sarina Rahim interned this summer with the Plano Symphony Orchestra. The 17-year-old Plano East Senior High student wants to be an orthodontist, but also hopes to earn a business minor in college after working in development and marketing at the local nonprofit.
“Nowhere else are you going to be able to work directly with other adults in a professional environment … other than this program, as a high school student,” Rahim said. “Other summers I would just be procrastinating SAT prep doing really nothing efficient.”
Rising Plano junior and senior high school students interview for and are placed in experiences across many fields, from marketing to music. Companies like PepsiCo and Samsung, as well as nonprofits like Meals on Wheels and Emily’s Place host a teen for eight weeks.
They get work experience, soft skills, financial literacy and job training. Students also get an opportunity to explore career paths, enhance their résumés and learn how to interview. This year, 44 employers hosted interns and about 20 other partners helped sponsor the program, according to director Amber Zuckerman.
Mayor John Muns greets interns at Plano’s summer internship program’s kick-off at the City Council Chambers, in the Plano Municipal Center, in Plano, Texas, Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
Anja Schlein / Special Contributor
Program History and Leadership
The program was founded under former Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere, but current Mayor John Muns has led it since. The former Plano ISD school board president said the opportunity reflects a strong partnership between the city, local business community and school district, all pillars of Plano. He hopes students in the program will consider returning to Plano.
“These connections are critical as we address workforce challenges of our growing city,” Muns said at an event for the internship earlier this year.
Varsha Jhanak graduated from Plano East Senior High School this year and previously interned at Plano Magazine through the summer program and said she’d be back “in a heartbeat.”
“This experience has taught me that Plano is such a great city to live in because there’s so many different hubs here,” Jhanak said. “So definitely, when I am an adult, I’ll be coming back.”
Compensation and Equality
All positions are paid, either by the company hiring the intern or a company underwriting a position for an intern placed at another business or nonprofit. The “earn and learn” opportunity pays a minimum of $13 an hour, 20 hours per week, with some earning more for up to 40 hours a week, according to Zuckerman.
Internships, especially paid internships, can be competitive as youths start their careers, and the road isn’t paved equally.
According to data from a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, male students and white students who graduated in 2023 were more likely to have internships than other groups. Among men who took part in an internship, about 76% were paid, the association found, and among women taking part in internships, about 52% were paid.
The association also found that students who take part in paid internships receive more job offers and have higher starting salaries than those who participate in unpaid internships.
Leveling the Playing Field
Plano’s program seeks to level the playing field. This year, about 33% of hired interns either were in a college readiness program called Advancement via Individual Determination, which seeks to close opportunity gaps in education, qualified for free or reduced lunch or were on track to become first-generation college students, according to Zuckerman.
Plano had 300 applicants for the program this year, according to Zuckerman, and another 137 students were on a waitlist to be considered. The program coordinated 810 interviews in just five hours to help employers choose from the applicant pool.
Guests listen to interns talk about their experiences during the Impact Mayor’s Celebration Luncheon
