Warsaw Community Schools student Joshua Saripalli, left, is pictured with April Fitterling, who is supervising his internship in the Warsaw Community Schools business department. Photo provided.

News Release

WARSAW — Joshua Saripalli is working as a business intern in the Warsaw Community Schools business department through the Warsaw Area Career Center’s Work-Based Learning program offered by Warsaw Community Schools.

Saripalli, who is the son of Matthew Saripalli, plans to attend Indiana University to study finance.

What are your job responsibilities? “I handle purchase orders, making changes in purchase orders in the accounting software, pulling filed reports and making copies, making spreadsheets for cash balances and open purchase orders, calculating the discounts offered by companies, and posting them into a purchase order,” Saripalli said in a news release.

How has this position been helpful to you? “This position has allowed me to use my skills in real-world applications and is different from what we used to do in class,” Saripalli said “I also further understand the real importance of accounting and that all types of business organizations are required.”

What have you learned? “At this job, I have been able to apply my accounting skills to real-world applications,” he said. “I have also learned how to use accounting software and how it helps reduce time working on a task. Lastly, I have been able to learn to use spreadsheets more efficiently.”

How is this job preparing you for the future? “This job has allowed me to gain early exposure and experience in accounting and help me to set up a foundation in finance,” said Saripalli. “I have been able to utilize my accounting in real-life data while gaining foundational skills like attention to detail, problem-solving and familiarity with accounting software. In the end, this job has allowed me to have clarity on what I wish to do in my future career pathway.”

What do you like about this job? “During my time here, I have been faced with a couple of problem-solving challenges,” he said. “Solving these kinds of problems has been satisfactory and rewarding. Along with this, exposure to accounting software was exciting, and I was able to learn how it made doing tasks easier. At last, I have enjoyed making connections in the office, understanding their experience in accounting and overall having a great time.”

What Career Center classes have you taken in your pathway? “Principles of Business Management, Accounting Fundamentals and Marketing Fundamentals.”

April Fitterling, chief financial officer, has been supervising Saripalli.

What duties does this student perform? “Running reports, accounts payable help, mail processing, accounting reconciliation,” Fitterling said.

How is this job preparing this student for the future? Fitterling said the job is helping Saripalli get “comfortable in an office setting and the process/operations of the business department.”

What do you think of the WACC Work-Based Learning program? “It’s great to give our students the opportunities and experiences to be prepared to enter the work force,” she said.

Why were you willing to partner with the WACC in this program? “We’re in the ‘business’ of education,” Fitterling answered. “That’s why we’re here.”