DVISD Technology Department welcomes third cohort of students and graduates for internships

Over 30 Del Valle High School students and recent graduates began paid internships with the DVISD Technology Department last week. 

They all went through the interview and hiring process to secure positions in the summer program, which is going into its third year with its biggest cohort to date. It comprises students going into tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, along with new DVISD graduates. 

In the program, students are trained in different aspects of campus technology. They learn to install software, assemble hardware, run diagnostics, and more, all to prepare the district’s technology for the coming school year. The program is scheduled to last eight weeks but can stretch to 10 if more time is needed to ready technology. Afterward, graduates have the opportunity to interview and secure a full-time position with the Technology Department. 

“I was extremely grateful,” said Logan Chavarria, a recent graduate, and new technology intern. 

Logan learned about the program through his computer science classes when his teacher encouraged him to apply. He said the internship is a great opportunity for him as he figures out his own path. 

“I probably wouldn't have had any great opportunities if I didn't go to Del Valle. You know, it's basically the land of opportunity in this area. So I feel like it really paved the way for me, honestly,” he said.

The opportunity provides students with hands-on experience in the growing field. For many of them, this is their first job. It serves as a way for them to explore their interests in technology and learn more, helping them decide whether they would like to continue pursuing an education in tech. The Technology Department also takes the time to teach student interns about professionalism in the workplace, so they understand the importance of this job and others they will have down the road.

“This internship program fulfills part of the vision I have for Del Valle ISD, which is to provide students hands-on experiences in growing fields,” Superintendent Dr. Annette Tielle said. “Students also have the unique chance to be hired full-time with DVISD after they complete the internship. For our recent graduates, we’ve created a student-employee pipeline where we grow our own talented employees dedicated to the district while they’re still in our classrooms.” 

Leslie De Leon Alpizar said the unique possibilities available through the program are great for students at all stages of their career searches. 

“It’s important because many students don't know what they want to do right after they graduate,” she said. “Some students I know didn't even know that we're going to make it this far, so I'm really glad that we have this opportunity to teach students about technology.”

Among the more than 30 students are several who are returning to intern for a second year now. Since the start of the program three years ago, the Technology Department has hired several former DVISD students who completed the program. 

Leslie was in the program’s first cohort and was hired immediately after the internship as a CTA. She has worked at several campuses over the past three years now, managing technology needs at the campus level. 

“When I was in it, I honestly knew almost nothing about tech. I knew the basics, like power washing, troubleshooting, and stuff like that,” she said. “I wasn't good at it, but once I got into it, I really liked it. I very much like to open up the hardware and everything, and be hands-on.”

Through the program, DVISD has cultivated its future technology employees to come onboard as the district continues to grow.

“The good thing is within the department, we are growing with our own Del Valle graduates who become part of our team,” said DVISD Chief Technology Officer Srikanth Bandaru. “It’s exciting because we are able to make that happen within the district and bring our graduates back to help our students and staff.”

The program is still in its infancy, but with the direction of Superintendnt Dr. Tielle, Srikanth is exploring an expansion to the program that would develop specialized intern positions focused on programming and cybersecurity with the district. He said these tracks would supplement class work, meaning students would learn the basics of programming or cybersecurity through their computer science classes. Then, students could secure an internship with the Technology Department to put those skills into practice with the guidance of the district’s technology experts. 

“Right now, what they're doing is entry-level,” Srikanth said. “The design of this program is to hire the students, train and grown them, and then bring them in to work for us in the cybersecurity and programming path. It’s an exciting path we’re on.”