With the guidance of the career development coordinator Susan Tyson, students have the opportunity to gain information for a potential career in business.

“The students had an opportunity to not only work together as a team to develop their ideas and create a business, but they were able to network with area business owners,” Tyson said.

Throughout the “What is Business?” seminar, students were able to experience the process an entrepreneur or business specialist goes through to create a successful business.

Students worked with various consultants and specialists from our community and only had an hour to plan and present a business idea to a panel of entrepreneurs.

“Not only do they understand entrepreneurship, but they also understand as a consumer, the kind of decisions that are made by business people to provide products and services that they’ll be happy with,” Tyson said.

Tyson explains the process to become an intern.

“The students were accepted. They had to be interviewed by the Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce,” Tyson says.

The Wake Forest Career Readiness Academy is one of five in the nation. Currently, fourteen students are working as interns as a part of the program.

Senior Patrick Page explains how he first got involved in the program.

“I took an interest through my D.E.C.A project, and it was recommended to me from there,” Page said. “I wanted to further my involvement in the community and increase my networking basis.”

Senior Katie Noble explains how her internship has changed her opinion on business.

“At first, I thought business seemed really boring, but through my internship, I’ve learned that there is much more to it,” Noble said. “There’s a really personable side to business as well. I don’t think people really realize, but business is really fun and interesting. There’s a lot more to it than they think.”

Both students are planning a business career in their future. Page plans to attend East Carolina University next year as a finance major. Noble looks to attend Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC Chapel Hill.

Through the Career Readiness Academy internship opportunities, students are able to gain the  experience needed and be prepared to take the next step towards college.

Katie Noble said, “I’m excited to see how this experience will help me in college. This internship has definitely given me a leg up because it’s given me work experience, and I feel work experience is one of the most valuable things you can have.”