A quick question....

So, I have a wayward brother-in-law who just graduated highschool and currently doesn't have any real direction in life. He is tech savvy, however more on the side of repair/troubleshooting in the IT field than programming. I was wondering if anyone is currently working with a company, or knows of one in the Phoenix Arizona area that is offering either a paid or unpaid internship position.

He is bright and able to quickly learn new concepts however, as with most of today's youth, just lacks any real direction in his life. I would greatly appreciate any help with finding him some direction in this area.

-Andy

If he wants an IT carreer, and just lacks the motivation to go after it, then perhaps you just need to light a fire under his a s s. Giving him options like "go to college or get a job and pay rent". I also find it much easier to get an internship when you're in school. Sign him up for IT classes at a community college, and he can use their job boards. Nobody said he has to finish his AA if school isn't his thing. He can also just take any old classes when he's there, and maybe find something different that he wants to do.

OTOH, If you mean no direction, like he doesn't even know if he wants to do IT stuff then community college is still a good idea. Something will catch his interest and he can pursue it further, maybe go to a 4-year. Or have him join the military. They'll give him a job. He may hate it, but he'll come out better on the other end. And he'll get free school afterwards in whatever he wants. If he is smart and technically savvy, he has a much better chance of having a safe job too.

I do have an old co-worker who moved to Arizona, but I'm pretty sure he's in Tucson. I'll ask him anyhow.

I agree with you completely, and I myself did the military route before I settled into my final career. Unfortunately, I am only down in Az for a visit as I live elsewhere. Thank you for your reply and for taking the time to ask your co-worker. I greatly appreciate it.

I shot my buddy an email and am still waiting to hear back. Most job sites seem a bit more full-time work oriented, but the biggies like dice and monster, and stuff like yourlocalpaper.com might turn up a few things. Most internships are school-oriented, so taking classes is still a good option. He could look for local computer repair shops (they do still exist a few places), and inquire there, maybe even as free help so he can build his resume. Another idea is for him to start building his portfolio and become his own company. If he does "IT" work for family and friends, help him make it into a resume, and have him just put it under "Jon Doe Consulting" (whatever his name is). You can buy 500 business cards for chump change, and give them to family and friends to pass out to people they know. He can get started doing stuff for people's home PCs, maybe somebody he helps has a small business and will pass a little work his way.

Good luck!

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Originally Posted by anduril462

Another idea is for him to start building his portfolio and become his own company. If he does "IT" work for family and friends, help him make it into a resume, and have him just put it under "Jon Doe Consulting" (whatever his name is). You can buy 500 business cards for chump change, and give them to family and friends to pass out to people they know. He can get started doing stuff for people's home PCs, maybe somebody he helps has a small business and will pass a little work his way.

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I'm not quite familiar with the norm in your country, but isn't that kind of work "too serious" for a high school graduate student ? ...by 'that kind of work' I mean providing consultancy services and thinking of 'becoming his own company' ?

I agree with Anduril... you need to get the lad motivated... He's going to have to find something that keeps his interest soon because the alternative is a history of short term, meaningless jobs. (While it is true someone has to do them, it doesn't have to be him, does it?)

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Originally Posted by CommonTater

because the alternative is a history of short term, meaningless jobs

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He can get a long term meaningless job!


Quzah.

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Originally Posted by manasij7479

I'm not quite familiar with the norm in your country, but isn't that kind of work "too serious" for a high school graduate student ? ...by 'that kind of work' I mean providing consultancy services and thinking of 'becoming his own company' ?

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Not at all, and I'm not implying he'll go from zero experience to running the largest IT firm in the US in a matter of months. I just mean he can work for himself. As for how it works over here, working for yourself or starting your own company (even if there's one or two employees) is highly revered in America. We love and respect the "little guy" and the "I taught myself everything I know" type of person. The ease of getting your own company off the ground, regardless of your degrees, etc is one of the major reasons people immigrate here. Anybody can become somebody. I have one friend who studied art in college and never took a single computer course. He went through exactly the process I mentioned, and has his own IT company with 2 employees. Another friend of mine never even went to college (okay, he dropped out of community college first semester), and had his own IT consulting gig, then did web development and is now a senior systems engineer for Sony Pictures. In the US, if you're smart and self-motivated, you can go a long, long way.

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We love and respect the "little guy" and the "I taught myself everything I know" type of person.

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Unfortunately, it is just the opposite in India.
One would literally be ridiculed, even by family members, if he tries to do something on his own.