STEM Core Community College Internship Program (Developed by Growth Sector)
Program Overview
Growth Sector is a nonprofit workforce intermediary that has recognized a national need to do more to prepare disadvantaged community college students for economic success in a changing economy. Driven by the increasing importance of post-secondary education in preparing job seekers for meaningful careers, Growth Sector has developed the STEM Core Curriculum in partnership with federally funded labs, community colleges and other national workforce intermediaries and nonprofits to focus on expanding the pipeline of students for engineering and computer science careers.
Growth Sector’s STEM Core program and the Student Support Specialist at the community colleges will guide students to be successful in an accelerated STEM career pathway. Engineering and math faculty work together to co-design the math curriculum in order to provide valuable contextualization in engineering. Students also receive math-intensive training, course-specific individual math tutoring, individual counseling and hands-on engineering workshops to help them be successful in class. Lastly, students also compete for paid internships at industry partners including SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, where they get valuable experience as technicians and technologists leading to career opportunities at SLAC and other employers upon completion of their Associate in Science (A.S.) degree.
For more information, please see: https://www.growthsector.org/stem-core
STEM Core interns at SLAC will be paid at a minimum rate of $15.00/hr for a full-time (8 hr/day), 10-week program. Salaries will be paid either by your Community College or facilitated through Growth Sector.
Research Opportunities
During the internship, each student works with an engineer or scientist on a project related to the Laboratory’s mission. At the conclusion of the internship, the student will make a brief presentation to his peers and supervisors. Students may also participate in a series of scientific lectures, professional development workshops and lab tours. Interns will obtain real-life experience in the laboratory’s machine shops, vacuum shop, light fabrication shops, mechanical and electrical departments, magnet shops, cryogenic facilities, IT and in other areas supporting the research at the lab.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a world-renowned laboratory with research opportunities in physics, chemistry, life sciences, materials and environmental sciences, astrophysics, scientific computing, and many engineering fields. For more information, click here.
Program participants must:
- Complete the full 10-week internship program. Internships are 40 hours/week, 10 weeks/summer.
- Must give a brief presentation of their summer project at the end of the internship.
- Must behave in a responsible and professional manner. Please review Stanford’s Code of Conduct and SLAC’s Respectful Workplace Policy.
Application Information
Who Should Apply:
Students must have completed the STEM Core Program at partner community colleges and/or universities.
Eligibility:
- United States Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident or DACA student
- Must be at least 18 years or older at the time the internship begins
To Apply:
- Contact the STEM Core Student Support Specialist at your campus or Gabe Hanzel-Sello for more information.
Key Dates
- Applications Open: October 2023 (contact your Student Support Specialist)
- Early Submission Due: December, 2023
- Internship Application deadline March 2024
- Internship Offers Extended: March - June 2024
- Earliest program start date: June 4, 2024 (duration is 10 weeks)
For More Information
Please visit the STEM Core website to learn more about the STEM Core Program.
Contact your STEM Core Student Support Specialist at your campus, or:
Gabe Hanzel-Sello
Hillary Freeman
STEM Education Program Manager
