Hardware and Soft Skills
At a recent award ceremony, Diana, Melinda, Sara, and
IT Field Services were recognized by the
City College of San Francisco (CCSF) as an employer partner for their internship program. The UCSF IT internship program began in January 2016. By attending the CCSF job fair in spring and fall semesters, IT attracts 10-15 interns annually, many of whom find their path as UCSF employees (more details in the graphic below). It's a great example of how FAS is integral to UCSF's new
Anchor Institute initiative, which outlines our commitment to strengthen and support under-resourced populations by hiring, buying and investing locally.
What’s unique about our IT internship program?
UCSF’s mission includes supporting the community, so it makes sense we would partner with CCSF. Students of all ages and backgrounds attend CCSF, and sometimes they struggle to gain real-world work experience. They may be just out of high school or may be coming back after years in (or out of) the workforce to build new skills or start a new career. We want them to know that a local organization is here to help them in their career path and that there are great opportunities in the IT field, especially in health care.
What do our interns value most from participating in the program?
Our work is more fulfilling because of our mission. At UCSF, interns get exposure to different types of technologies in many settings––clinical, teaching, research and administration. We teach them the technical aspects, but they also learn about the people aspects of our work, like how to communicate with doctors and nurses in a professional way. It benefits us as well, especially when they decide they want to work at UCSF. Former interns usually start as a contractor and keep an eye open for full-time career positions (FTE).
