June 17, 2026
It used to be that if you earned a degree, you could be reasonably well-assured of finding a job shortly after graduation. While that may still be true for some professions, it’s no longer universal.
“This is one of the toughest entry level markets I’ve seen in a while,” said John Rumery, program manager with FutureTech Careers. “Fortunately, FutureTech Careers can help.”
FutureTech Careers offers hands-on learning, career readiness workshops, industry mentorship and personalized career coaching — all designed to help students build the skills employers need today in the fields of advanced manufacturing, information technology and computer science. The program is open to any student pursuing one of more than 20 certificate programs or associate degrees in these fields.
For students interested in these specific career fields, FutureTech provides important experiences, opportunities and, most of all, connections. One of those experiences is a paid internship.
The Value of Hands-On Experience
“I immigrated to the United States from Eritrea when I was in high school,” said Mussie Tekle, a recent graduate who just completed an internship through FutureTech. “I didn’t understand the education system here and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I bumped into GRCC a couple of times when they visited my high schools, and I learned about all the resources they could provide, so I decided to enroll.”
Tekle says his high school teachers had talked to him about computers, and that seemed interesting to him. He came to GRCC to study website design and development. While there, he came across a FutureTech event on artificial intelligence and decided to attend.
“It was really a fortunate accident that I found FutureTech,” Tekle said. “I met Linus Kaechele at the event and he was very welcoming. He shared more information about FutureTech and I decided to join.”
Tekle wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue his education or get a job after graduating from GRCC. He decided to pursue an internship because he thought it would help him decide on his next steps. Fortunately, Tekle secured a 16-week paid internship opportunity at Tech Collaborative.
“I learned so much during this internship,” Tekle said. “I learned things I use every day, such as communication skills and time management. I was able to work on website design and programming using WordPress and Figma Design. I was so happy to see what I could do! My only regret is that the internship is over, because I really enjoyed it.”
As an evaluation tool, the internship served its purpose.
“The experience was 100% worthwhile,” Tekle said. “I got a lot of experience and learned from the team. The people at Tech Collaborative love to help, and did everything they could to support me. I now know that I like the work and can do it.”
More Than Book Knowledge
Tekle’s story illustrates exactly why FutureTech does what it does.
“Our goal is to create a community of lifelong learners,” Rumery said. “Internships are one part of it, but that’s not the only important part. Networking is hugely important for people seeking to break into the job market. Students who join FutureTech are able to meet people in their field of interest, make connections and get an inside track to opportunities. We bring in speakers, pay for students to attend conferences, offer job shadowing opportunities and much more. I can’t stress enough how important it is for students to be out there building their contacts before they try to find a job.”
FutureTech support is available at no charge to any student pursuing a degree or certificate in Advanced Manufacturing, Information Technology or Computer Science. GRCC students can learn more by completing an interest form, which will initiate a conversation.
“FutureTech is grant funded, so it won’t be around forever,” Rumery said. “We’re trying to build a sustainable infrastructure so that we can carry our work forward. In the meantime, we are here and we have amazing services to offer. If you’re a student who will be looking for a job after graduation, make sure you take advantage of this resource.”
Learn how to get involved on the FutureTech Careers web page.
This story was reported by Julie Hordyk.