BOSTON, Mass. (April 21, 2026) — Astound today announced the launch of its 2026 paid internship program in partnership with Peabody Veterans Memorial High School’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program. It marks the fifth year of a one-of-a-kind collaboration that has given students direct access to real-world fiber-optic training and career experience.
Four students from the high school’s Electronics/Fiber Optics program will participate in the five-week internship, working alongside Astound professionals across technical operations, engineering, construction and broadband field functions.
The 2026 program runs through May 22, giving students a hands-on introduction to the technology, teamwork and problem-solving required to build and maintain modern communications networks. This year, Astound and PVMHS are expanding the intern experience to include added time with engineering and construction teams and experience with emerging technologies such as 400-gig circuits and fiber-to-the-home.
Throughout the internship, students will gain experience in fiber cable assembly, fusion splicing, commercial installation work, equipment testing, troubleshooting at network hubs, circuit testing, installation and repair work, outside plant operations, mapping and design using AutoCAD and GIS tools, and observation of fiber deployment in multi-dwelling units. The partnership is designed to help students build practical, job-ready skills while working directly with Astound technicians in the field.
“Reaching the fifth year of this partnership is a meaningful milestone for Astound and for Peabody Veterans Memorial High School,” said Mark Bentley, Manager of Switch/Transport at Astound in Massachusetts. “What began as a conversation about exposing students to fiber-optic technology has grown into a sustained program that gives young people real skills, real experience and a real look at what careers in this field can offer.”
The partnership began in 2020, when Dale Larocque, an instructor in Peabody Veterans Memorial High School’s CTE program, invited Astound representatives to speak with students about fiber-optic technology. That conversation led to a deeper collaboration, with Astound helping the school develop a dedicated fiber-optics teaching lab and eventually launching a paid internship program for students. Dr. Michael Darish, another PVMHS instructor, works with Larocque and the school’s CTE director, Shannon Spinosa, to ensure student interns make the most of the opportunity.
“This program continues to show what is possible when education and industry work together in a focused, practical way,” said Brooke Randall, Principal of PVMHS. “They are seeing how those skills apply in the real world, alongside professionals who are helping shape the communications networks people rely on every day.”
In 2021, Astound helped install the school’s fiber-optics lab, giving students access to fiber-optic racks, patch panels and commercial-grade equipment used to build and troubleshoot networks. In 2024, Astound team members joined Peabody officials at an event celebrating the fiber-optics lab and the career opportunities it created for students.
In addition to Astound, supporters and vendors for the Electronics (Fiber Optics) CTE Program include Jonard Tools, FOA (Fiber Optic Association), and Mirra.
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About Astound
Astound (astound.com) is a trusted provider of internet, Wi-Fi, mobile, TV services, landline phone and fiber-optic solutions, known for innovation, reliability, and award-winning customer care. With a focus on flexibility, value, and community, Astound delivers modern connectivity solutions to both residential and business customers designed for how people live and work today. Astound serves Texas, Chicago, Indiana, Eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York City, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and regions throughout California, Oregon, and Washington.
