MADISON, Wis. — Just about every industry has struggled to find qualified employees during the pandemic.
This on-going problem is why TDS, a telecommunications company providing service in more than 30 states, decided to start a new internship program for high school students.
Only four states have been picked to start this new program, one of which was the state of Wisconsin. One of the students selected, Ryan Holst, said that he feels lucky to be a part of the program.
“I learned so much. Coming into this, I didn’t even know what fiber was,” explained Holst.
Each day, Holst gets a chance to help with on-site services, repairs, and product maintenance.
The paid internship, at 15 dollars an hour, helps high school students gain experience out in the field long before having to decide if the career is right for them.
While in the beginning, being a teacher required some patience. TDS Technician and Mentor, Derrick Fish, said he’s enjoyed every second of working with Holst.
“The experience has been great. Honestly the knowledge that I have thrown at him, he has done remarkably well so he has taken like a champ,” said Fish.
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