High school internships are a great experience. You get work experience, networking opportunities, and the freedom to explore different career paths before choosing a college major. According to a survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, internships for high school students can lead to better-paying jobs in the future and help with getting into a good college.
You should consider applying for internships in your state, out of state, or even abroad for the summer of 2022. There are many options for high school internships and summer high school internships. Read this article to discover essential information on some of the best internships for high school students and so much more.
Can High School Students Access Internships?
Yes, high school students can access a wide range of internships. Employers offer internship opportunities in sales and marketing, data entry, administrative work, personal assistant roles, and more. There are different types of internships for high school students, and internships can either be paid or unpaid. According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly wage for high school interns is $15.
Are There Summer High School Internships?
Yes, there are plenty of summer internship opportunities for high school students. Summer vacation gives you plenty of time to participate in an internship, and many popular companies, like Microsoft, Google, Dell, and Lenovo, have special high school internships during summer vacation. Summer internships can be full-time or part-time.
Why Are Internships Important for High School Students?
- Learn About Career Goals. High school internships allow you to define your career goals years before college. For example, if you can’t decide between a career in law or software engineering, you can intern at a law firm and later a tech company to see which you like better.
- Gain Hands-On Experience. Hands-on experience is essential for future employment and can be beneficial to your college applications. A high school internship is a great way to boost your resume and find professional development opportunities.
- Find Networking Opportunities. Most high school students don’t have a professional network. However, an internship allows you to network and make industry contacts, which may come in handy when you start your career or look for college internships.
- Gain Self-Confidence. Internships build your confidence and give you the drive to perform better in school. Completing professional tasks and mingling with highly-qualified professionals allows you to explore your potential, which is crucial for your success.
- College Preparation. High school internships prepare you for college. Once you define your career goals, it becomes easier to identify the right college major and education pathway. Depending on your goals, you can select between community colleges, four-year universities, trade schools, or a coding bootcamp.
Top 10 High School Internships
Banfield Pet Hospital NextVet Program
- Location: Many locations across the US
- Length: Three months
- Time Commitment: Part-time or full-time depending on location
Banfield Pet Hospital is one of the best veterinary care providers in the US, with 1,000 hospitals worldwide. An internship with this organization sets you on the right path to becoming a veterinarian or another animal-related professional. In this paid internship, you will shadow employees at one of Banfield’s pet hospitals and join virtual discussions on improving the veterinary industry.
Bank of America Student Leaders Program
- Location: Many locations across the US
- Length: Eight weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
Bank of America’s Student Leaders Program empowers high school juniors and seniors through a paid internship at a local non-profit organization with a Student Leaders Summit in Washington, DC. During your internship at your chosen non-profit, you will learn leadership skills through hands-on work while uplifting your community.
Google Computer Science Summer Institute Internship
- Location: Online
- Length: Four Weeks
- Time Commitment: Part-time
This internship is a unique opportunity for any high school senior registered for a four-year undergraduate program to learn more about a career path in computer science. You will gain practical skills in tech and build a network of fellow techies. Interns will explore through a project-based curriculum, engage in weekly workshops, and interact with Google tech experts.
Johns Hopkins Biophysics Research for Baltimore Teens
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland
- Length: Six weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time, Monday to Friday
If your dream career field is in the tech, research, or science industries, then this might be the summer program for you. This paid internship is open to high school students in Baltimore. You will be involved in hands-on laboratory-based research in microbiology and biophysical science with graduate-level college students, post-doctoral researchers, and Johns Hopkins faculty.
Meta Summer Academy
- Location: Menlo Park, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, and San Francisco, California
- Length: Six weeks
- Time Commitment: 30 hours per week
This internship gives you the opportunity to gain real-world experience by shadowing Meta employees and participating in hands-on activities. The six-week externship, previously known as Facebook Summer Academy, allows you to learn about the day-to-day operations and explore a wide variety of career paths including finance, media partnerships, human resources, and communications.
Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program
- Location: Redmond, Washington
- Length: Four weeks
- Time Commitment: Full-time
Microsoft’s High School Discovery Program is for graduating high school seniors interested in technology-based careers. You will learn programming fundamentals, develop your skills sets for the tech industry, gain leadership skills, and receive mentorship from Microsoft employees. Make sure you meet the eligibility requirements listed on Microsoft’s website before applying.
NASA Internship Program
- Location: Maryland, Virginia, New York, West Virginia
- Length: 10-16 weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
NASA Office of STEM Engagement offers this exciting internship opportunity to eligible students who are at least 16 years old with a 3.0+ GPA and have an interest in science and technology. You must also be a US citizen and a full-time student. During this paid summer program, you’ll participate in cutting-edge research at one of the four campuses.
Stanford Medical Youth Science Program
- Location: Online
- Length: Five weeks in summer
- Time Commitment: Full-time
You are eligible to apply for the SMYSP at Stanford University if you are a high school junior from an underrepresented community in Central and Northern California. It is an online summer program that focuses on medicine and health science. You’ll learn professional skills to excel in future careers in science and health care. You will also benefit from career development workshops and networking opportunities.
United States Secret Service Student Volunteer Program
- Location: Washington, DC
- Length: Three months
- Time Commitment: 12 hours per week
This internship position is an excellent opportunity for students interested in a career in law enforcement, criminal justice, or a successful career with the federal government. It is an unpaid internship that allows you to gain professional experience by participating in various activities and learning from renowned investigators to earn academic credit.
YES! Teen Internship Program at the Smithsonian Institution
- Location: Washington DC
- Length: Five months
- Time Commitment: 30-40 hours per week
The Youth Engagement through Science (YES!) high school internship program is for high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors interested in STEM fields. This internship experience will show you the daily activities of museum staff through workshops and field trips. You’ll get to practice public speaking skills by delivering educational programs to museum visitors.
Classes for High School Students
If you are having trouble meeting the requirements for internship openings or you don’t have time for a summer program, you can take extracurricular classes to work on your skillsets. Online coding courses or short-term coding bootcamps can help you gain new skills or explore potential career paths in the technology industry. Below are five classes for high school students.
- Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life by Coursera. If you are curious about a scientific career in neurological sciences, it’s a good idea to take a course to make sure you enjoy learning about neuroscience. This free, beginner-level course is a great way to learn basic vocabulary and theory.
- Tutorials from Code.org. Code.org offers short coding tutorials and activities for a wide range of ages and abilities. If your future career goals involve computer science, this is a great place to start. You might even learn something that will be useful for a school science fair.
- High School Computer Science and Programming Intro Workshop by Udemy. This course is perfect for students seeking an internship in tech. You will learn programming, computer science principles, and knowledge to learn new programming languages.
- The Art of Sales: Mastering the Selling Process by Coursera. You will gain essential skills to help you land a job in sales and marketing. This class covers customer relationships, preparing a sales pitch, and understanding the sales process. You will also complete a hands-on project and receive a shareable certificate.
- Graphic Design & Video Editing for High School Students by American Graphics Institute. You will learn video editing, motion graphics, illustration, graphic design, and so much more. The American Graphics Institute has designed these classes to prepare students for internships by giving them access to industry-level tools like Premiere Pro, InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator.
Should You Do an Internship in High School?
Yes, you should do an internship in high school, even though it isn’t mandatory. An internship lays a foundation for your professional future by exposing you to different career paths and life skills. There are many exciting opportunities available, and you’ll get job experience that will help you in your next job.
Internships for High School Students FAQ
High school internships are not hard to find. You can find these internship opportunities on official company websites, social media pages, and online job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, and more. You can also ask your teachers or school counselor for internship referrals.
High school internships are designed for students with little to no experience. The qualifications are usually that you must be a full-time high school student and demonstrate academic excellence through good grades. Age requirements vary depending on the internship.
Potential employers don’t expect high school interns to have a lot of experience, but you should show that you are mature and intelligent. A few ways to do this are to write an outstanding cover letter and resume, prepare for your interview, and ask for references from teachers who know you well.
High school internships are similar to entry-level jobs. You will spend your internship assisting employees and performing administrative tasks, like typing, answering calls, running office errands, attending to client needs, and more. However, some companies in tech allow interns to explore coding or do independent research projects.
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