Engineering internships for high school students are becoming more popular because they help students explore various career fields at an early age through hands-on work experience. In addition to exploring their future career, high school engineering internships can help with the college application process for students interested in a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering.
In this article, we cover a wide range of engineering high school summer internships and other programs. We’ll share eligibility requirements for available internships across the country and discuss the broad range of benefits an internship can have on your academic goals.
Can High School Students Access Engineering Internships?
Yes, high school students can access both online and in-person engineering internships. Both options can help students gain professional skills and build a foundation for their future careers. Many engineering internships are only available to undergraduate students or students in graduate school, but there are engineering internships for high school students available.
Are There Engineering Summer High School Internships?
Yes, there are engineering summer high school internship programs. Though some of these internship opportunities for engineering students are unpaid, many are paid internships. According to ZipRecruiter, $15 is the average hourly rate for interns. Students can work with business professionals at an engineering firm or with engineering professors at top colleges and universities.
Why Are Internships Important for High School Students?
- Job experience. Many job openings have requirements for minimum job experience, in addition to education. When you enter the job market right after an undergraduate degree program, you might not have the professional work experiences required. Internship programs are great opportunities for professional development.
- Mentorship. The best mentor relationships usually start with a personal connection between both a mentor and mentee. Many internship programs match you with a potential mentor to help you gain a broad range of competencies in engineering.
- Create a professional network. The job application process is much easier when you know someone in your field who can recommend you for open positions. An intern program is a great way to build and expand your professional network. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, over 70 percent of interns are offered a permanent position.
Top 10 High School Engineering Internships
California Academy of Sciences Careers in Science Intern Program
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Length: Multi-year
- Time Commitment: Part-time during the summer, after school and Saturdays during the school year
If you’re a resident of San Francisco and have a passion for science and engineering, you should consider registering for the CIS internship. Interns help scientists with field studies and teach the public about science. The eligibility requirements are to be in ninth or 10th grade with a minimum 2.5 grade point average. 90 percent of CIS alumni went on to earn a college degree.
Carnegie Mellon University Summer Academy for Math and Science
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Length: Four weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This summer program is a well-rounded STEM internship for high school students. This internship aims to prepare students for their transition from high school to college, and is particularly relevant to high school juniors and high school seniors. The program focuses on college applications and holds family support sessions to address financial aid.
Department of Navy Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program
- Location: 30 states across the US
- Length: Eight weeks
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This paid internship is for high school students in good academic standing who are interested in engineering research. The program runs for eight weeks at one of 30 Department of Navy laboratories. Internship applications are accepted from high school sophomores through seniors who are at least 16.
Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute
- Location: Online
- Length: Four weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Part-time
This summer program is an intensive, interactive, and fun look at computer science and software engineering taught by Google professionals. Applicants must be current high school seniors who have the intention of enrolling in a four-year bachelor’s program in the US or Canada. Interested students should apply through the online application.
Microsoft Discovery Program
- Location: Redmond, Washington
- Length: Four weeks
- Time Commitment: Full-time
This internship is open to high school seniors. Eligible students must live within 50 miles of Redmond, Washington and have a demonstrated interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This paid intern program is full-time and runs for four weeks.
MITRE Nationwide High School Student Program
- Location: Bedford, Massachusetts, McLean, Virginia, and Tampa, Florida
- Length: Eight weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
MITRE is looking for motivated students to do cutting-edge research, development, engineering, and analysis. In this intern program, students will learn through professional work experiences and focus on collaboration skills.
MIT Research Science Institute Summer Program
- Location: Online
- Length: Six weeks
- Time Commitment: Full-time
At MIT’s Research Science Institute summer program, students will get hands-on experience with a full research cycle. Interns are paired with a mentor and carry out their own research projects. They will also learn how to deliver a conference-style report, both oral and written.
National Institute of Standards and Technology Summer High School Intern Program
- Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
- Length: Eight weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
The National Institute of Standards and Technology provides an exciting opportunity to students interested in engineering research. This eight-week summer program is an unpaid internship where students will join the engineering lab to help with a research project. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation and a strong internship cover letter.
National Security Agency High School Work Study Program
- Location: Fort Meade, Maryland
- Length: 10 to 12 weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Part-time
If you are curious about how engineering fits into cyber security and the artificial intelligence community, then this is the intern program for you. You’ll need an interest in engineering, computer science, or business, with an academic goal of attending college or university.
University of California Santa Cruz Science Internship Program
- Location: Online
- Length: 10 weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
The University of California Santa Cruz runs a 10-week summer research internship program for high school students who are interested in STEM degrees, including engineering. Students have an opportunity to receive personal mentoring from faculty and graduate students. This summer program gives students a chance to do real research projects in a supportive community.
Engineering Classes for High School Students
While internships are a great option for high school students to get hands-on work experience, you can also take a wide range of engineering classes to learn more about engineering. Some of the technical fields you can study include electrical engineering, artificial intelligence, and biomedical engineering. Check out the list of engineering classes for high school students below.
- Practical Electronics by MIT. When you understand the basic concepts of electrical engineering, you can make a wide range of electronic devices like toys and remote controls. This class uses theory and lab exercises to teach electrical engineering.
- Explore Engineering Innovation by Johns Hopkins University. This summer program is an exciting college-level course for high school students. Students develop critical-thinking, problem-solving, and technical skills and can earn Johns Hopkins University credit in the process. Preference is given to high school juniors and seniors, but current sophomores can also apply.
- Computer Science by NextGen Bootcamp. High school students attending this online summer program will master the basics of programming in Python and Java in a small supportive community. Students also get a head start on the AP Computer Science exam.
- Introduction to Engineering by Notre Dame. The College of Engineering at the University of Notre Dame brings high school students to campus for this summer program in engineering. This course is an amazing opportunity to learn about the broad range of engineering fields while learning what it’s like to be an undergraduate student.
- Code Connects by The Coding School. The Coding School gives opportunities to students to earn high school credit while taking their online coding courses. There are options to learn about artificial intelligence and network engineering and to assist graduate-level students and engineering professors with research.
Should You Do an Internship in High School?
Yes, doing an intern program in high school is a great way to explore a career field while getting hands-on work experience and building a professional network. You could also learn what it’s like to study for an undergraduate degree if you do your internship at a university.
Engineering Internships for High School Students FAQ
You should start by deciding what kind of engineering jobs you are interested in. For instance, are you interested in electrical engineering or software engineering? Narrow your search and use the resources above to find the right internships for you.
An engineering internship for high students is a temporary position for students to learn about engineering through professional work experiences. An intern program can run for a few weeks to several months and may be paid or unpaid. You can learn more about what a day in the life of an engineer is like and decide if engineering is the right career path for you.
Engineering interns do a wide variety of tasks during their intern program, and exact tasks will vary with the type of internship. You might use modeling software, build circuits, take field trips to manufacturing sites, or get experience with software design.
An internship isn’t necessary to become an engineering student, but an intern program will help you learn about the different career options for engineers and improve your chances of getting accepted to any college of engineering. Intern programs are an amazing opportunity to gain hands-on work experience while meeting professional engineers.
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