Career Exploration for High School Students

The Career Exploration page is a page full of opportunities to help you explore careers. From various summer camps to websites that give you information about finding a career. If you want help exploring careers, we encourage you to take a look at the pages listed below. They will help you figure out which careers could be an option for you.


Internships

Internships for High School Students

As a way to support New Mexico tribal entities in developing their own managerial and technical expertise, Indian Resources Development promotes, funds, or helps develop internship opportunities for NM Indigenous high school and college students.

The resources below explain internships for high school students and how they are beneficial in high school and in exploring your career interests.

Benefits of Internships in High School

Internships are beneficial in high school, because they can help high school students narrow down their career choices and pick a career they would like to pursue. High school students can explore a career in which they are interested and see if that is the career they would like to pursue.

Internships can also be listed on a student's resume, which will make them a stronger candidate on a college application or a job application. Students gain leadership skills, communication skills, and expand their networking connections through internships. The connections and mentors they gain will be of assistance to the students in the future, when applications require letters of recommendation or references.

Exploring Careers through Internships

Participating in internships in high school is a way to explore careers and know what is involved in a career. Internships provide high school students the opportunity to deepen their understanding about a career through hands-on experience. Internships are offered by businesses and organizations for a limited period of time. Students typically work for a chosen employer for about one to four months, however, the duration can vary. Internships can be taken for credit, be paid, or unpaid.

Some high schools offer an internship class as a way to support students in acquiring and developing professional "soft" skills, and helping them identify and secure internship opportunities. If you want help exploring careers, we encourage you to take a look at the page listed below. They will help you figure out which careers could be an option for you.

Following are additional resources on this topic:


Career Exploration Camps

Summer Camps

Institution Camp
NMSU's Innoventure Program/American Indian Business Enterprise/Indian Resources Development/Navajo Technical University 

Innoventure Native Youth Ag Camp 2023

New Mexico State University's Innoventure program, American Indian Business Enterprise, and Indian Resources Development have partnered with Navajo Technical University's Land Grant Program to host the 2023 summer camp. Camp eligibility- Native Youth 14-17 years of age from NM or surrounding area. COVID-19 Vaccines are highly recommended. Questions can be directed to AIBE program specialist, rlivin01@nmsu.edu.

Flyer for Ranch Management Youth Camp

Click here to enlarge the camp flyer

Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Native American Environmental Awareness Summer Youth Practicum (SYP)

Flyer for Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Click here to enlarge flyer

NMSU Arrowhead Center Camp Innoventure
New Mexico State University TRIO Upward Bound Program- Alamogordo High School
New Mexico State University TRIO Upward Bound Program- Hatch Valley High School
New Mexico State University TRIO Upward Bound Program - Santa Teresa
Northern Arizona University Nizhoni Academy
New Mexico Tech Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS)
St. John's College, Santa Fe St. John's Summer Academy
UNM - Taos Upward Bound (Taos)
UNM - Valencia Upward Bound (Valencia)
University of New Mexico Engineering and Computing Summer Academy

Bridge Programs

College Bridge Program
Colorado State University 2023 Virtual Native Education Forum
University of New Mexico American Indian Summer Bridge
Navajo Technical University Leadership, Enrichment, and Advancement Program (L.E.A.P.)
The Institute of American Indian Arts New Freshmen Bridge
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute SIPI Summer Bridge to Success 2023
University of New Mexico - Gallup Lobo Academy