With the current, ever demanding, climate of schools and colleges, many students have turned to internships, part time jobs, and more in order to test out possible career paths and enhance their college applications. Hands-on experience is only growing in popularity as schools ask that of students, which in turn causes students to seek out such opportunities more and more.

The question resting on many people’s minds however is this: Is work experience really critical that early when students are still at high school?

Calming Possible Uncertainties

An argument most commonly brought up by students is that work experience can help quell possible uncertainties of what a certain career path offers and what to expect. Being able to score an internship or a job in an area you are interested in pursuing “could help strengthen students’ career preparation in colleges and universities” (Kinzie 4), by showing what is expected of them.

“Interns gain practical work experience and learn about their intended profession” (Schritter 11), and now with this knowledge, preparation for your possible career path becomes easier, as now you know what classes to take and certifications to obtain. If what you experienced was unfavorable, now you are able to pivot and move towards a new career path. In both cases, uncertainties about your possible future job are whisked away, being replaced with confidence.

Being able to do this when you are in high school is a blessing.

Personal Growth Through Real World Applications

Some students cite feeling as though school does not give students a strong foundation when it comes to real world applications of topics, and “want more tangible connections between what they learn in classrooms and its application in the real world,” or essentially more “hands-on experience that prepares them for life after graduation” (Riipen 40). Most want to learn about topics more in depth and truly grow as a person, so by picking up a job or landing an internship, you are able to learn more than school could ever teach you, and extend yourself to your full potential. Some students favor taking a gap year rather than jumping straight into studies after high school in order to work, claiming that this experience has helped them grow exponentially more than twelve years of schooling did.

If you can get this experience while you are at school without having to take the gap year, what better than that?

Being More Prepared

Being able to put down a job or internship on applications helps showcase a candidate’s hard work and dedication to their career, and can make you a more attractive option to colleges and later companies. By gaining real world experience, you are already avoiding one of the top reasons people don’t get hired; “because recent graduates don’t have real-world experience” (Brown 13). Whether the experience you gain is related to your major/career, you can still learn helpful soft skills such as creativity or public speaking and have something to show for it.

Graduate high school with real-world experience that helps you be more prepared not just for college but also for the workforce.

Bolstering Your Resume and Increasing Opportunities

Real world experience, such as internships and jobs, can also serve as an extra boost to your college application or resume, as holding a position in one of these jobs shows interest, passion, devotion, leadership, and other sought after skills. “70% of students attending a US News top 50 University have completed at least one internship while in high school” (Team 1), showcasing how having an internship gives you a competitive edge. Additionally, you have the opportunity to network with others, and “as a result of their experiences and new connections, many students can leverage their internships and co-ops into full-time careers” (Schritter 29).

Work experience clearly helps in more ways than one—it shapes confidence, clarity, and character. For high school students, it can be the difference between guessing at the future and stepping into it prepared, passionate, and ahead of the curve.

References:

1. Brown, Erin. “New Survey Reveals Traditional Undergraduate Education Is Not Preparing Students for the Workforce | Hult International Business School.” Hult International Business School, 21 Jan. 2025, www.hult.edu/blog/wi_skills_survey/.

2. Kinzie, Jillian. “Exploring the Influence of Course-Based Career Experiences and Faculty on Students’ Career Preparation.” Default, 15 May 2022, www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/trends-and-predictions/exploring-the-influence-of-course-based-career-experiences-and-faculty-on-students-career-preparation/.

3. Riipen. “Key Experiential Learning Statistics for 2023 and beyond | Riipen.” www.riipen.com/blog/experiential-learning-statistics.

4. Schritter, Tyson. “Is College Preparing You for Real Life?” Colleges of Distinction, https://collegesofdistinction.com/advice/is-college-preparing-you-for-real-life/.

5. Team, Editorial. “60 Summer Internships for High School Students in 2024 - the Internships for High School Students Organization.” The Internships for High School Students Organization, 17 Nov. 2023, internshipsforhighschoolstudents.org/2023/11/17/60-summer-internships-for-high-school-students-in-2024/. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.