Jairo Ojeda Cortes, a senior at Carmel High School, is set to graduate this year, equipped with both a resume boost from a top accounting firm and practical, hands-on experience to kickstart his career. Engaged in the Carmel High School Work-Based Learning Program, Jairo serves as a tax intern at Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM).

Jairo's time at KSM reinforces his passion for accounting and widens his perspectives on a future career. "This internship makes me eager to learn more and expand my knowledge of accounting," he says. "More specifically, it exposes me to different areas of accounting like real estate, something that I never thought about before."

Jairo’s passion and eagerness are a great help to the team at KSM. "Jairo is an asset. He is given tasks similar to those of a college intern and completes them with accuracy," states mentor Karen Hill, Director of Talent Acquisition & Staffing. 

"Jairo is able to quickly adapt and learn the various software and systems that KSM uses to house and organize client data," notes Hill. “He was especially willing to take on projects during the fall extension deadlines when our team was swamped with work.”

For Jairo, the internship allows for the practical application of what he has learned in his courses at Carmel High School. It’s the soft skills, however, that ensure Jairo is truly prepared for the real world and future career. 

"Throughout my internship, I would say my communication and adaptability skills have grown as I need to communicate with my co-workers and thoroughly explain problems in a professional manner,” explains Jairo. “My adaptability skills have significantly improved because every day that I come to work, I have to go with the flow and work on whatever is asked of me.”

Hill seconds that success is never measured by technical skills alone. "Jairo brings positivity to the office, willingly jumping into various projects and tasks. Jairo is always eager to learn and understand what he is doing from a big picture lens.” 

As Jairo readies himself for his future career, Hill expresses confidence in the impact of this opportunity. “The internship experience Jairo gains at KSM will positively influence his future career,” states Hill. “He is getting exposure to public accounting, tax work, and the work culture in the professional world. Jairo is also learning technical skills related to systems and software, which will benefit him in gaining perspective on the accounting and tax profession and aid him in choosing the career path that is right for him.”

Work-Based Learning Information