This summer, the Maine Career Exploration team visited Atlas Patel, Inc. – a multi‑faceted business operation in Portland led by Sam Patel and his partner, Steve San Hamel, where a group of bright young interns were gaining hands-on experience that went far beyond the classroom. Sam and Steve welcomed us and gave us a glimpse of the diverse opportunities their interns were exposed to this summer through these career experiences paid for by the Maine Career Exploration Program.
Atlas Patel, Inc.’s broad scope of operations provided the interns with hands‑on experience in real entrepreneurship, retail management and business development. From operating a general store on Portland’s East End to running business ventures out of a bustling co-working space, the high school interns saw the ups and downs of Maine entrepreneurship. Atlas Patel Inc.’s ventures also extend into real estate and other enterprises, giving these interns a front-row seat to the fast-paced and often unpredictable world of business ownership.
During our visit, we met with six interns and had the chance to hear directly from them about their experiences. What stood out most was not just the skills they were learning, but the excitement they had and the confidence they were building. Each intern shared how meaningful it was to be trusted by their employer, to be invited into meetings and a front row seat to real-life business.
“In these two to three weeks, I’ve learned so much,” said SriShyam Juttu, a ’25 graduate from Scarborough High School and rising freshman at USM. “It’s an amazing experience because, along with meeting new people and learning how to do new things, my confidence has grown a lot.”
Ali Carter, a rising senior at Falmouth High School, also spoke highly of his experience. “I gained a lot of critical thinking skills here. I also learned from the people that have been doing it for a while; a lot of information comes from them that you don’t get in a textbook or economics class in high school. Sometimes people our age can get focused on one thing, but when you come here, they open up your thinking a little bit.”
Lara Cakmakei had finished her junior year at Yarmouth High School when she heard about this opportunity through her school’s ELO coordinator. “Through this internship, I genuinely saw what it was like to be a CEO and a true entrepreneur. Being able to join, observe and be an active participant in professional meetings taught me how a leader carries themselves when they do business.”
Instead of being relegated to the sidelines, these interns joined in on real business calls, contributed ideas and witnessed firsthand how decisions get made. That environment alone helped broaden their view of what the future of work can look like.
Across the board, every intern emphasized that the trust placed in them by Sam and Steve made them more confident in their abilities and more excited about their own career paths.
This is exactly what the Maine Career Exploration Program is designed to do: connect young people with employers who can help them see their potential. Paid, short-term internships like the ones at Atlas Patel, Inc. not only provide valuable exposure to different industries but also build the confidence and self-assurance that young people need to succeed in the workforce.
We are grateful to employers like Sam Patel and his team for opening their doors to Maine’s next generation of leaders. Their willingness to mentor, trust and engage the interns in real work is a powerful example of how Maine businesses can shape the future of our state’s economy.