The growing list of qualifications and skills potential employees need to enter the job market or realm of secondary education is something that directly affects young people in the Heart of Virginia.

The importance of internships for young people in developing skills relating to a particular career became more evident to me after attending the boards of supervisors’ meetings in Buckingham and Cumberland counties recently.

A citizen during the Buckingham meeting, Marie Flowers, made a suggestion that Dominion Energy establish a job training program for area students and youth, especially for those youth at risk.

Cumberland County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Amy Griffin similarly urged area businesses to consider establishing internships for high school students as Cumberland County High School works to perfect its graduation qualifications.

My internships and hands-on learning experiences with The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg and at the University of Mary Washington were invaluable as I continue to use the skills I have learned there with The Herald, and continue to learn and develop new skills here.

An area program which similarly offers its students job training experience is Fuqua School’s externship program, or “supervised learning opportunities under the guidance of an approved outside professional,” according to a press release from the school.

The release cites that Centra, Bailey’s Automotive and Taylor-Forbes Equipment Co. are among firms in Farmville giving students the chance to explore their interests or career projections.

With technology evolving every day and the emphasis on internships to secure jobs and enter secondary education or trade schooling programs, communities in Farmville, Prince Edward, Buckingham and Cumberland can do a lot to give high school and college students the experience needed to succeed in the job market.

EMILY HOLLINGSWORTH is a staff reporter for The Farmville Herald. Her email address is Emily.Hollingsworth@FarmvilleHerald.com.