GetMyInterns.com - Helping High Schools Launch Student Careers

Summary

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Podcast Summary: GetMyInterns.com – Helping High Schools Launch Student Careers

Culturally Speaking: The South Florida Sunday Podcast
Host: Hubbard Radio
Guests: Alex Funkhouser (GetMyInterns.com), Dr. Diaz (Miami Dade Public Schools), Angelica (Goodwill IT Leader), Former Interns (Sophia & Sarah)
Date: June 8, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode shines a light on the pivotal role of structured internships in empowering high school students across South Florida, particularly through the GetMyInterns.com platform. The discussion revolves around how these opportunities prepare young people for future careers, offering them hands-on experience, vital soft skills, and even AI training—all with strong support from local schools, companies, and nonprofit organizations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Mission of GetMyInterns.com

• Alex Funkhouser explains the initiative as “the infrastructure powering the workforce flywheel,” which connects students, parents, schools, and employers for meaningful internships.

  “Our goal is to help students develop an internal locus of control, shifting them from passive learners to individuals who are truly in the driver's seat of their own careers.” (00:34)

• The program emphasizes a “learning contract” between intern and provider and is incorporating AI training to prepare students for future technologies.
• The platform supports Miami Dade and Broward County public schools and targets both general and tech-focused students.

2. The School District’s Role

• Dr. Diaz outlines Miami Dade’s support and administration of the Summer Youth Internship Program (SYIP), now in its 11th year.
  • Companies are vetted by the school district and required to attend orientation.
  • Jobs are posted by approved companies; employers then interview and choose applicants.
  • Students are prepped with “Florida Ready to Work” certifications, focusing on soft skills critical for workplace success.
  • The experience mimics real-life hiring, giving students practical decision-making experience.

  “Students already come prepared with Florida ready to work certifications, which includes the soft skills employers say are necessary to either obtain or maintain a job.” (01:51)

  • Many students are hired beyond the program’s five-week paid internship.

3. How Nonprofits Like Goodwill Foster Agency

• Angelica (Goodwill) shares their hands-on approach:
  • Goodwill’s focus is on "workforce development," directly mentoring interns and fully integrating them into teams.
  • Piloting an AI training series through the Miami Dade College AI Clinic, teaching prompt engineering and technical problem-solving.

  “By teaching students how to use AI and prompt engineering, they gain the technical leverage to solve complex problems...which helps them build confidence.” (03:17)

4. Interns Reflect: Lasting Impact & Valuable Skills

• Sophia:

  • Enhanced professional communication skills
  • Discovered her true field of interest (preferring math over coding)
  • Created lasting peer connections

  “It made me better at communicating with people, especially...how to be a little more professional.” (04:22)

  • Encourages more students to seize this learning and growth opportunity.

• Sarah:

  • Realized the breadth of workplace learning, like inventory management, even in non-retail settings
  • Networking topped her list of lasting benefits

  “You meet big bosses, your co-workers—these are people that can help you in the future. ...It was such a good first experience.” (05:06)

  • Stressed how early experiences with adults built her confidence and provided lifelong skills.

  “It’s a really good opportunity to learn to work with adults...not a lot of jobs for minors have that, and it’s a good experience preparing you for the future.” (08:03)

5. How to Get Involved—Resources for Parents, Students & Employers

• Alex Funkhouser provides a rundown of tailored portals:
  • Broward County: broward.getmyinterns.org
  • Miami-based internships: miamiinterns.org
  • Tech-specific opportunities: ciocouncil.getmyinterns.org

  “There’s opportunity for students all in South Florida to really participate in these programs and prepare themselves for life.” (06:59)

6. Call to Action & Final Reflections

• Sarah encourages companies to open up internship positions.

  “It’s a tremendous experience not only for the students, but also for the providers.” (09:12)

• Dr. Diaz highlights opportunities for parents and thanks the community for supporting local youth.

  “This is an opportunity for your children to start with their portfolios at an early age...Internships are transformational. They're empowering.” (09:30)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alex Funkhouser:

  “It’s all about developing the learning contract between the intern and the mission of the provider. And we’re even adding AI training this year to the program.” (00:34)

• Angelica (Goodwill):

  “We act as mentors and actively integrate [interns] into our teams...They gain the technical leverage to solve problems, complex problems, without waiting for step by step adult instruction.” (03:17)

• Sophia (Former Intern):

  “It helped me figure out that even though coding is something I used to find fun, it’s not something I want to do now.” (04:22)

• Sarah (Former Intern):

  “Networking...that’s probably the most valuable thing I learned as my first actual job experience.” (05:06) “It's a really good opportunity to learn to work with adults...not a lot of jobs for minors have that.” (08:03)

• Dr. Diaz:

  “Internships are transformational. They're empowering. We are empowering our young talent here in South Florida.” (09:30)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:34 – Alex Funkhouser describes GetMyInterns.com’s mission, learning contracts, and the addition of AI training
• 01:35 – Dr. Diaz outlines Miami Dade Public Schools’ role and employer partnership process
• 03:17 – Angelica details Goodwill’s integration of interns, mentorship, and AI pilot project
• 04:22 – Sophia shares her personal growth and insights from internship
• 05:06 – Sarah discusses networking, skills learned, and importance of working with adults
• 06:59 – Alex Funkhouser provides info on how various counties and tech students can participate
• 08:03 – Sarah elaborates on benefits for minors in workplace settings
• 09:12–09:30 – Final encouragement to companies and parents; reflections from Dr. Diaz

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How to Get Involved

• For Students and Parents:
  • Explore available internships and resources at getmyinterns.org
  • Specialized portals for different counties and interests
• For Employers:
  • Sign up to provide internships, support local youth, and help shape the next generation of professionals

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Tone & Closing

The episode is proactive, inspiring, and community-focused, urging both adults and students to take initiative. It highlights not only technical and professional development, but also the personal growth and confidence that internships foster.

“Internships are transformational. They're empowering.” — Dr. Diaz (09:30)

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Transcript

[A]

If we're being honest, I think the number one complaint most adult age people have once they've entered the workforce is feeling lost or like they don't quite know how to navigate through their careers. Well, there is a solution for that. It's called getmyinterns.org which provides structured internships helping create ingenic youth. I'm Mariah, and joining me now is Alex Funkhouser. Good morning.

[B]

Hi, Good morning.

[A]

It is an absolute pleasure to have you on with us. Alex More will be joining us next, but to get us started, can you talk a little bit about Get My Interns and how it helps facilitate this?

[B]

Absolutely. The Get My Interns is the infrastructure powering the workforce flywheel. It seamlessly connects students, parents, schools and employers. Our goal is to help students develop an internal locus of control, shifting them from passive learners to individuals who are truly in the driver's seat of their own careers. And it really comes from it's all about developing the learning contract between the intern and the mission of the provider. And we're even adding AI training this year to the program. So it's all, it's all very, very

[A]

exciting training for the future. AI is it? And this is all incorporated with the school systems, as you mentioned, specifically Miami Dade County Public Schools. Also Joining us is Dr. Diaz. How does the Miami Dade School District support this transition?

[B]

Thank you very much for the invitation. It's a pleasure to be here to talk about the summer youth internship program, which is supervised run and actually monitored on a daily basis by Miami Dade County Public Schools. It's in its 11th year of operation.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

The companies are vetted by the school district. Companies attend orientations and once they're approved, they then can upload their job description and indicate the number of positions that are available. This program is funded by major organizations here in Miami Dade. Once the company is approved, they actually then can view students that have applied. These students are then actually able to apply for these positions that interest them and the employer has the final say in offering the actual job offer. Students go through a pre internship program and just like you and I in real life do, you can either accept or reject a job opportunity. These students already come prepared with Florida ready to work certifications, which includes the soft skills and employers say are necessary to either obtain or maintain a job. So this is a way of employers actually vetting the their future talent. And for many of these students and companies, they have the opportunity to continue to hire them even after the five week paid internship program this summer.

[A]

Love the Connection between the companies with the interns, the opportunities. And we can't forget about the on the job training now. Also joining us is Angelica, an IT leader at Goodwill. How do you foster this agency on the job?

[B]

Hi.

[C]

Thank you for having me here. Goodwill's purpose is workforce development. So interns are in SI program. They're a direct expression of what Goodwill does. We act as mentors and actively integrate them into our teams. This year, we're excited to host the SYIP AI training pilot, which is being delivered directly by the Miami Dade College AI Clinic team. By teaching students how to use AI and prompt engineering, they gain the technical leverage to solve problems, complex problems, without waiting for step by step adult instruction, which helps them build confidence.

[A]

Absolutely. Confidence is key. And what you all are doing and helping this next generation enter the workforce is incredible. I mean, tasks that matter, tasks that help, tasks that really make the interns a part of the business or the company. And speaking of them, let's hear from some of the former interns. Joining us as well is Sophia and Susan. Sarah. Now, how did this experience change you? Sophia, we'll go ahead and start with you.

[C]

Well, to be honest, it's changed in a lot of ways. It made me better at communicating with people, especially in a way to how to be a little more professional, you know, a little less casual. It helped me interact with others. It helped me figure out that even though coding is something I used to find fun, it's not something I want to do now. And instead, I'd rather go into something with a little more math space. I still keep in touch with a lot of the people that I met through there, like Marco. We talk every now and then, but it's a good opportunity. And I feel like a lot of more people should be aware that this is something that they can do and something that they can learn and grow from.

[A]

Absolutely. The support, the confidence, the structure to help you take those next steps towards your career. And Sarah, how has this program helped you?

[C]

So I did the program when I was around 16, and I really liked it, but because I didn't do coding as Sophia did. But I retained two very valuable lessons from the experience and one which is probably inventory. I learned about inventory. You see, I've never worked in any form of retail or food industry, none of the sort. So I thought that you could only learn those type of things in those types of jobs. But you can learn that anywhere, even in an IT internship. And I learned that. But I feel like the most valuable lesson that I learned in this Experience was probably networking. You need so many people you meet big bosses. You need when you, your co workers, these are people that can help you in the future. These are people who you can help in the future. And it felt good to the same way Sophia kept in contact with her friend that she made in the internship. I kept a couple of friends too. And it's so nice because sometimes we talk about like hey, what job are you doing right now? Hey, do you know if there's a position available? Or they personally have asked me things like that when like they see that, like I'm at a job fair or something like that. So it's good to keep those people around. And that's probably the most valuable thing I learned as my first actual like job experience. You know, like it was an internship and I had never, I had never had a job in my life and it, I felt like that was such a good first experience, right?

[A]

The networking, the community that you build through this, it follows you in addition to the people you actually meet as well and stay connected with. Thank you both for sharing. We're going to revert back to Alex Funkhouser. What are some ways parents, teachers, the community can learn more and get involved

[B]

People in Broward county, for example, they can also go to broward.getmyinterns.org for Broward based providers and students as well as any technology related students that are wanting to learn technology, they can go to ciocouncil.getmyinterns.org Also there's opportunity for students, you know, all in South Florida to really participate in these programs and prepare themselves for life. Regarding the Miami opportunity, you can go to miamiinterns.org for any Miami based internship providers. Always welcome to sign up. And also for those providers in Broward, Palm beach county and beyond the ciocouncil. Getmyinterns.org is especially for tech related students. Thank you so much.

[C]

I'd like to add that this is a really good experience for at least people who are minors or people who are my age when I did this. It's a really good opportunity to learn to work with adults because I mean you are with people your age obviously because there are other interns and in my case there were other interns. But you do have to interact a lot with your supervisors and adults and I feel like not a lot of jobs for minors have that. And it's a really good experience for like once these people enter the workforce like in the future because sometimes as kids or as teenagers we're kind of afraid to speak to adults or, like, interact with adults. And that's such a good experience to, like, prepare you for that future and realize that these are people who you are going to be seeing a lot more and they work just like you, even if you're 16 and they're 30 something, you know. So I feel like that's another valuable lesson that, like, people would give as if they're interns, especially at a young age.

[A]

Absolutely agree 100% with you, Sarah. Thank you for sharing. Any other final remarks?

[C]

I just wanted to encourage companies to go to or get my intern support, open a spot for students and change their lives. Easy doesn't take time. And it's a tremendous experience not only for the students, but also for the providers.

[B]

On behalf of the school district, I'd like to thank the community for opening its doors to the young talent that we have available right here in Miami. For parents that are listeners, this is an opportunity for your children to start with their portfolios at an early age. And what best thing to do but to find out that the program that you're studying in high school is what you want to pursue, or maybe not. And this is the opportunity to do so. Internships are transformational. They're empowering. We are empowering our young talent here in South Florida.

[A]

That you are. Thank you all again so much for joining us this morning. And again, for more information, visit getmyinterns.org.