Hey guys, I'm super interested in computer science and thinking ahead to the summer. Does anyone know how a high school junior like me can land an internship in tech? Is it cool if I have no prior experience, or should I be building up my skills in other ways first?
Hello! Diving into tech internships is a fantastic initiative, and I'm thrilled to support your journey. As a high school junior, it’s a great time to start gaining real-world experience, even if you don't have any just yet. For starters, look into local businesses or startups that may be open to having a high school intern – they might not advertise opportunities, but they could be open to the idea if you approach them with enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
In parallel, definitely begin building your skills. There are superb online resources available such as Codecademy and Coursera where you can learn programming languages for free or at minimal cost. Besides coding, understanding the basics of software development, version control with platforms like GitHub, and even dabbling in small personal projects or contributing to open source can be immensely helpful.
Additionally, some larger tech companies offer structured internships or summer programs for high schoolers like Google's Computer Science Summer Institute or Microsoft's High School Internship program – though these are competitive, they are worth shooting for. Best of luck; this proactiveness is precisely what propels your tech career forward!
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