Project Pull is a summer internship program that hosts San Francisco Bay Area youth. The program provides opportunities in partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and other public service sectors, giving a vast amount of different experiences interns can take away from the program. Interns are placed in various City departments, ranging from Engineering to Communications to Health Inspection. This class of interns was chosen from a pool of hundreds of applicants. Three interns recounted their experiences, including two returners and one first-year intern.
Micah Mangot was a first-year Project Pull intern in the Communications department for CleanPowerSF within the Power Enterprise. As someone that just started in the program, Mangot saw the opportunity and wanted to pursue it. Being immersed in a professional working environment was a focal point for Mangot because she had never had such an experience. She learned the different programming that her mentors used, along with learning other acronyms used in a professional office setting.
Along with creating content for CleanPowerSF and learning about power, Mangot was honored to be a part of the program. “I have always been interested in Government, and it seemed like an awesome opportunity to work for the City and County of San Francisco,” recounted Mangot.
Dylan Hom was a third-year intern for Project Pull, working in the Juvenile Detention Center’s IT Department. Hom praised the program saying, “the people are what makes this program. But specifically, Lisa Milkes-Wilkerson, affectionately known by interns as Ms. Lisa, is the heart and soul of the program.” He expressed that Ms. Lisa has driven this program through the years and that she offers so many experiences and learning opportunities for every intern. These included learning about resume building, holding mock interviews, financial literacy, and team building. Hom noted that one of Ms. Lisa’s key phrases will always stay with him and is a good rule in life: “early is on time, and on time is late.”
Marianna Ramos had spent the most summers with the program; this summer, she worked with Community Benefits at the SFPUC. This summer was her fourth year with the program, and having mentors was something she adored about the program. “Having a mentor has been a great learning experience because I’ve seen what they do daily, which has helped me think about possible career options.” Still, Ramos mentioned that the most important lesson was gaining the experience of being in a work environment. Learning about how to carry yourself in a work environment and conduct yourself with professionals was an essential lesson for interns.
Ramos explained how the program works and the benefits of how interns experience the same program differently. “Because everyone is in a different organization, everyone’s experience is unique, and it encourages interns to want to learn about different careers,” said Ramos.
The Project Pull program has remained a place where interns can start their journeys in the workforce. They can take valuable lessons learned throughout their time with mentors and peers, creating a community that many youths would not typically experience. Similar to how interns come from all walks of life, they learn from people with their own stories, keeping an open mind on how they will experience Project Pull.
Keeping it simple, Marianna Ramos summed it up nicely. “Project Pull is much more than just an internship program. It is a family and an opportunity to learn things you can carry with you for the rest of your professional career.”