Business internships for high school students allow students to explore a career in business and start to build professional skills. A high school business internship experience is also a great extracurricular activity to include on your college application. Not to mention that the hands-on work experience you’ll gain is invaluable no matter which career field you choose.
Full-time students can also study business with summer high school internships, but there are also high school business internships offered part-time during the school year. We have reviewed high school business internships that will provide a meaningful experience for high school students who are interested in a career in business.
Can High School Students Access Business Internships?
Yes, high school students can access business internships to start working on their future career goals. However, high school business internships can be hard to find, since many programs are designed for college or graduate students. Remember that a program in accounting or marketing, both fields of business, will also give you business experience.
Are There Business Summer High School Internships?
Yes, there are a wide variety of business summer high school internships available for students. Because of the pandemic, some of these internships are now remote or virtual. Some programs also pay students for their time and effort. Applications for most summer internships are open from January through March.
Why Are Internships Important for High School Students?
- They can help you begin building a professional network. An internship will give you a chance to build a network with people who already have a career in business. Positive references from business professionals can help with college admission and future job opportunities.
- They boost self-confidence. Completing an internship and exploring your career goals will help you feel more confident in your skills. Internships can also help you improve your communication and public speaking skills.
- They help define your career path. An internship is an opportunity for students to get firsthand experience in their field. Interns learn what to expect in a given career, and they can decide if that career path is a good fit.
Top Four High School Business Internships
Business/Accounting Intern at Kiewit Corporation
- Location: Omaha, Nebraska
- Length: Summer
- Time Commitment: Full time or part-time
If you’re in high school and interested in learning business administration and accounting, this summer internship is available to high school seniors and juniors. As an intern for this construction technology company, you will participate in daily activities such as reviewing costs, adjusting budgets, and reporting to your supervisors.
High School Summer Internship Program at Jimerson Birr
- Location: Jacksonville, Florida
- Length: Four to six weeks in the summer
- Time Commitment: Full time
The Jimerson Birr law firm specializes in business law. As a high school summer intern, you will learn about accounting, marketing, communications, and legal services for businesses through various job assignments. Internship positions at a business law firm will give students a wide range of experiences concerning the needs of different businesses.
Building-U High School Internship
- Location: Online
- Length: Three months
- Time Commitment: Flexible
Building-U is a non-profit organization that helps students make a plan for after high school. Their high school internship program allows interns to develop hands-on experience in business and marketing through a three-month virtual internship. You and your fellow interns are divided into groups with a dedicated mentor to supervise your activities.
Bank of America Student Leader Program
- Location: Many locations in the US
- Length: Eight weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
The Bank of America Student Leader Program is an eight-week paid internship where interns are placed with a local non-profit organization. Intern experiences will vary depending on the non-profit organization but there are multifaceted projects that may include budgeting, marketing, accounting, recruiting volunteers, and securing donations. This will be a valuable experience for any high school student ready to be a leader.
Business Classes for High School Students
In addition to internships, there are other ways to learn more about business. Many high schools don’t offer business classes, but online classes are great resources for high school students to learn the basics of business. We’ve listed some options below.
- Business Foundations from Coursera. In this class, you’ll learn how to solve real-world business problems and improve your analytical skills and prepare for full-time work. Topics include marketing, finance, and accounting. This free course is organized by the Wharton Business Foundation.
- Introduction to Business from Coursera. This course focuses on the management and leadership skills needed to successfully run a business. This program is offered by the University of California, Irvine, and is taught by expert instructors.
- Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market from Harvard University. Interested in learning how technological advances become businesses? This course will teach you the steps it takes to turn cutting-edge research and technical skills into profit.
- Social Media Marketing from Coursera. One of the most important business skills is marketing. Meta, previously Facebook, is offering this social media marketing class. Who knows? You might end up changing your future career goals to a career in digital marketing.
- Excel Skills For Business from Coursera. Excel is a commonly used tool for most businesses, and knowing how to use Excel well is an important business skill. In this course, you will learn how to use Excel to analyze and report common types of business data.
Should You Do an Internship in High School?
Yes, you should do an internship in high school to start exploring your career goals and learning professional skills through hands-on projects. Also, you’ll need to ask for letters of recommendation for college applications, and an internship mentor is a great person to write a letter of recommendation. If your internship goes well, you might be offered a full-time job in the future.
Business Internships for High School Students FAQ
Before choosing an internship in business, make sure you are available for the full amount of time required. As a full-time student, it can be difficult to find time for an internship on top of your school responsibilities but to make a good impression you need to commit to the required schedule. You should also decide if you’re open to an unpaid internship, just in case.
No, you shouldn’t ask for a raise as an intern. Most internship programs are paid as a stipend rather than an hourly rate or salary, and the stipend is usually non-negotiable. Find an internship that pays enough and focuses on acquiring knowledge, job experience, and connections during your business internship.
A high school business intern does administrative work and other entry-level tasks that fit their experience level. Daily activities will vary from internship to internship, but you will get to do a wide variety of tasks and learn about the fundamental work of different businesses.
You might have to ask local businesses directly to see if they offer internships. If they don’t have a program set up, you could be their first intern. If you don’t personally know of any local businesses, try contacting your local small business association office.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
