CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. —  High school students don’t always have to wait until after graduation to get real-life experience in the working world — and get paid while doing it. Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum News 1, has been teaming up with Western New York-area schools on an internship program, helping teenagers earn a paycheck and gain valuable experience along the way.

What You Need To Know

  • The Spectrum internship program provides real-world working experience in customer service for high school seniors 

  • The yearlong program begins with full-time training and work during the summer with a flexible schedule through the school year 

  • Interns are eligible for benefits like tuition assistance and retirement 

As a senior in high school, Maysha Ahmed already has a jump start on a bright future.

"I’ve never had a real job before and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh. This is an exciting opportunity,'" she said. 

Since last summer, the 17-year-old been a paid customer service intern in the Spectrum video call center in Cheektowaga, fielding customer questions and assisting them with their services and equipment, all while building working experience before she even graduates.

"We grew not just professionally but also personally," she said. "We’ve learned so many skills that will help us in the long run in our career development and all that comes with the real world." 

Ahmed is one of several teenagers in the Spectrum internship program, a partnership with local schools and community partners to recruit rising seniors for the job. The yearlong program begins with full-time training during the summer, then a flexible schedule during the school year.

"I work 20 hours a week and it’s not too bad managing school and work and life," she said. "They’re flexible with your schedule so anything you need, they do accommodate to your needs."

Amy Lauricella is the human resources director at the Spectrum video call center, where the program first launched last summer. It’s been a successful first year for the company and the interns as they learn and grow.

"The key piece of the internship program is the communication skills that they get in a professional work setting," Lauricella said. "That will serve them in whatever it is they choose to do after college, but we hope it is with us."

The interns start out making $18.50 an hour, with a 75-cent shift differential. They can also earn merit raises and qualify for benefits like free cable and internet service, retirement and tuition assistance for college. 

It’s a win-win for these students — as they build the skills they need to work in customer service and beyond.

"We’ve really equipped them with the information to service our customers in a way where they can ideally resolve their issues on the very first call without the need to call back," Lauricella said. 

And as Maysha Ahmed prepares to graduate from high school and the internship program, she’s glad she stepped out of her comfort zone and recommends others do the same.

"This job helped me start my professional career and I hope to stay with Spectrum in the long run as well through my college experience so I can get as much experience as I can under my belt before stepping out into the real world," she said. 

Spectrum is looking for more interns to join the Western New York program this summer. Interested students can talk to their school guidance counselor or go to jobs.spectrum.com to apply.