Phase 1 of 3: Will a LinkedIn™ Jr. optimize internships for high school STEM students?

Abstract

Popular professional online networking sites, such as LinkedIn™, Monster™, CareerBuilder®, and others, focus on traditional jobs. Increasing demand for high school internships suggests an interest for an electronic networking database pertinent to high school opportunities [14]. In comparison to traditional methods of acquiring internships, such a database would provide increased accessibility and efficiency through an HCI conceptualized computer interface. Surveys were designed and distributed to stakeholders, an east coast, chartered high school (students grades 9–12, n = 132), businesses (n = 18), and parents (n = 143), to gather reactionary information. A Kruskal-Wallis, nonparametric algorithm found significant differences (p < 0.05) amongst the variables and eliminated errors due to a lack of homoscedasticity. The data found desirability, optimal implementation, and privacy concerns across independent variables. The degree that all stakeholders will feel comfortable in using a database to focus internship potential revolves about the efficacy, presentation, and portal attributes of the database.