“What do you want to be when you graduate?”
It’s a question students hear over and over again during their high school career, especially as graduation looms. While some may have a clear picture of their future, for many, the answer to that question is: “I have no idea.” Often, students are unaware of just how many options are available to them.
Ladders for Leaders was created to expose high school juniors and seniors to the workplace and bridge the gap between students and professional experience.
The organization’s mission is to ensure students acquire workplace readiness skills and experience and become more competitive as they apply to colleges, for scholarships, or prepare to enter the workforce.
To achieve this mission Ladders for Leaders provides high-quality, paid and volunteer internship experiences and pre-employment training designed to teach essential workplace readiness skills and professional etiquette.
Ladders for Leaders of Texas founder LaKissa Bright has a passion for helping children grow into their best selves, coupled with the desire to serve her community.
“Our main goal is to prepare our students to make informed decisions on their future upon graduating from high school,” Bright said. “This mission is personal to me because my daughter changed her major four times while in college and I could only imagine how much money we would have saved if she’d participated in a program like Ladders for Leaders.”
Since its inception in 2018, Ladders for Leaders has provided internships for 56 Round Rock ISD students.
The feedback from students about their work experience has been positive and reinforces Bright’s desire to provide opportunities for those close to graduating from high school.
Ryan Kelly, a senior at Round Rock High School, said his internship allowed him to learn more about the construction industry.
“I learned technology marketing and advertising skills. I gained more insight into how products are sold in construction. By making ads, I was able to learn about specific products and more construction companies,” Ryan said. “Another thing I liked about my internship was the helpful nature of all the employees. They were nice and supportive and were always willing to answer my questions. My internship gave me hands-on experience which helped me develop skills that I would not have been taught in school. I feel like this experience has prepared me and I gained more clarity of what to expect after college.”
Bright says the organization’s biggest need is business partners to host interns during the summer and funds to cover the cost of the internships. Visit the Ladders for Leaders website to get involved.
Applications for the summer of 2022 will be available on Jan. 10, 2022, and are due on Feb. 18. More information about eligibility requirements can be found on the Program Detail page of the website.
