No matter where someone's journey begins, there’s a path for everyone at Sam’s Club. Just ask Brenda Sanchez, who was part of our inaugural high school internship program last summer.
When Brenda heard about the program, she was immediately intrigued. She was looking for her first job and found the idea that a Sam’s Club internship could open opportunities for a career in the future very exciting.
“It was kind of nerve-wracking at first for me because it was my first-ever job. But immediately other associates, interns and managers made me feel comfortable,” said Brenda. “I knew that if I had a question about anything, I could come to them for guidance and support.”
The 10-week high school internship program provided Brenda and other high school juniors and seniors with opportunities to develop hard and soft skills. Through a series of dedicated rotations, interns were introduced to enterprise concepts such as the retail business model, fresh food production and merchandising. The program also focused on developing basic life skills, like financial literacy, as well as valuable skill sets like service to others, resilience and knowing how to support your mental and emotional well-being. The program had over 300 interns last summer, including Brenda, and is expected to have 500 enrolled by the end of summer 2023.
Brenda excelled in the program, starting first as a member specialist and then working in the bakery, optical, merchandising and member services areas. She described it as fast paced, but a challenge she knew she could conquer.
“I looked towards my mentors, Assistant Manager Michelle Arellano and Club Manager John Regalado,” said Brenda. “We connected right away. They shared their stories with me and we were similar in having our first jobs being at Sam’s Club. I knew the sky was the limit at Sam’s when I learned and saw their career journeys firsthand.”
Now, a graduate of the high school internship program, Brenda is a frontline associate working to graduate high school a semester early before pursuing a college degree in Business Management.
“The high school internship was an amazing experience for me,” Brenda explained. “It helped me grow confident in myself and learn that I can excel and be successful with anything I put my mind to.”
Brenda plans to work at Sam’s Club until she finishes high school and as she transitions to college. She describes Sam’s Club as a place she looks forward to coming to and the high school internship as the first step in her career journey.
“Sam’s Club makes me feel at home, from the associates, my fellow interns and now my teammates,” said Brenda. “It’s a great opportunity and a step in the right direction for my future.”
High school internship program applications are open through the end of May 2023. You can earn at least $16 an hour and kickstart an exciting career in retail management. We are excited to partner with even more interns this summer and help turn their skills into a career path. Learn more and apply for the program here.
