Vista Chamber Wins DEVVIE Award of Excellence for Velocity Summer Internship Program
The Vista Chamber of Commerce is the winner of a DEVVIE Award of Excellence for its Velocity Summer Internship Program. The award was presented by the San Diego North Economic Development Council (SDNEC) in late December. It recognizes the Chamber’s successful and ongoing partnership with Vista Unified School District and with the support of the City of Vista to create a scalable and sustainable approach to strengthening North County’s next generation workforce.
“The program is an economic development initiative that provides meaningful, paid employment opportunities for high school students,” says Rachel Beld, CEO of the Vista Chamber, whose staff managed the applications and interviewing process that connected teens with its members. “It also fosters collaboration between educational institutions and local businesses. Now in its third year, the program has become a significant contributor to job creation and retention in North County,” she says.
This past summer, 74 students worked at 30 area businesses for 100 hours over a 10-week period, up from 52 students the year before. Each year, approximately 25 percent of students are offered ongoing employment with their internship site, supporting long-term job retention in the area. For many interns, it is their first work experience.
Students are typically paired with companies that offer experience that aligns with academic pathways, offering students the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-world projects in fields such as business, technology, healthcare, and more. These internships provide students with critical, hand-on experience as they prepare for life beyond high school.
The award also recognized the program’s pivotal role in creating a more vibrant and economically competitive North County by addressing critical workforce development needs and fostering strong connections between students, businesses, and the local economy.
This includes:
- Building a Skilled Talent Pipeline
- Supporting Job Creation and Retention
- Promoting Inclusive Economic Growth
- Encouraging Local Career Paths
- Strengthening Education-Business Partnerships
- Long-Term Economic Development
Students are paid through fundraising and a grant obtained by VUSD. There is no cost to participating businesses, which makes it a high accessible way for local companies to engage with young talent. The organizations benefit from fresh perspectives while providing valuable mentorship and professional experience to students.
