Finding Summer Internships for High School Students

April 3, 2024 byConnections Academy

7 min to read

A high school student looking up internships on laptop

Summer internships can be a great way for a student to gauge their interest in potential careers and to develop job skills that will be useful regardless of what career path they eventually choose.

It’s a common misconception to think that internships are only for college students. While it’s true that most college students complete at least one internship, recently internships for high school students are becoming more popular, especially for students who plan to enter the workforce directly after graduating.

“Some high schools are encouraging students to complete internships in their junior and senior years,” a 2022 article from U.S. News & World Report says. “Once the purview of college students looking for an on-ramp to the job market, high school internships focus more on experience and learning than on obtaining full-time work, education experts say. They allow students to investigate fields of study and career options that are still years away.”

And, believe it or not, the time to start considering high school student internships for the summer can begin as early as September or October.

Likely, there are engaging student internships available both in-person and online, and finding an internship before a student has earned their high school diploma is easier than you might think, especially for students enrolled in a Connections Academy-supported school.

A student researching internships for high school students online.

How to Find Online Internships for High School Students

Searching online for internships for high school students is a place to start. Job search sites like Indeed.com or Monster.com, students can search for “internship” plus any field that interests them and narrow the search to the location where they want to work. Or they can use a general search engine to search with the name of an organization they are interested in plus “internships.” (See below for several resources with internship listings.)

If your student is having trouble finding an internship that fits, they might have to get creative. Think about what kind of job they want or the skills they would like to improve, and then try looking around in the community for people and places that offer that kind of work. If your student is interested in business, for example, they may want to improve their soft skills like time management or verbal communication, by working with a local entrepreneur to get first-hand experience.

Internship-seekers may want to make a list of their interests, talents, and passions, both in and outside of their studies, like video games, street art, or building robots to help them narrow down the potential internships that could interest them.

“Play to your strengths,” Pierre Huguet, CEO and co-founder of H&C Education, a college admissions consultancy, told U.S. News & World Report. “Your internship should be an opportunity to explore things you are truly passionate about and can’t learn in school. With a little creativity, you can always find a way to pursue impressive projects at the intersection of your talents and passions.”

Once students have their list of their interests and skills, they should reach out to extended family, friends, teachers, and coaches, their networks on social media... Ask whether anyone knows where to find high school student internships or if they would be open to a professional mentorship over the summer.

They can also contact local businesses directly to inquire about internship opportunities by asking to speak to the owner or manager and describe what they are looking for.

But before students start asking for an internship, they first need to be ready to explain what they can offer.

What You’ll Need to Get an Internship in High School

Students can prepare to land the summer internship that’s perfect for them by first crafting an “elevator pitch,” a resume, and interview skills.

Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a short speech—typically for as long as it takes to ride an elevator, or around 30-second—that introduces who a student is and what they can offer a prospective employer skill-wise. It can be handy to have both a general introduction and one or more customized pitches for specific internships or types of work. Students should practice their pitches before interviewing to get feedback.

Resume

A resume is a summary of a person’s experience and qualifications that are relevant to the job they are applying for, typically on a single page.

A basic resume consists of the applicant’s name and contact information, education, then in reverse-chronological order (most recent first), work experience, including volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and any awards or accolades, like being named to the honor roll.

Interview Skills

When interviewing, students should:

Dress in clean, modest, professional clothes.
Bring two copies of their resume in case the interviewer doesn’t have one and so they can read along as they refer to it.
Take a pad and pen to take notes.
Arrive about 15 minutes early with their cellphone off or silenced.
Present a positive attitude and enthusiasm for the job.
Treat the interview like a conversation—answer the interviewer’s questions, but also have some of their own prepared, such as additional details about the job duties and what projects or initiatives are currently or soon to be underway.
When finishing, thank the interviewer for their time.

Where to Find Internships for High School Students

Here are some organizations that offer internships to high school students:

The Bank of America Student Leader Program connects about 300 juniors and seniors with nonprofits in more than 100 communities.
Chegg Internships lists opportunities in several major cities, including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, and Chicago.
NASA High School Internships offer research and experiential learning at NASA facilities in Maryland, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The Met High School Internship Program offers museum internships to students who live in or attend high school in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.
BRAINYAC connects high school students in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx with Columbia University neuroscientists for research-based summer internships.
Smithsonian Internships offers a variety of programs for high school students at various Smithsonian Institution museums in Washington, D.C.
The Library of Congress offers internships in and around Washington, D.C., some of which are open to high school students.
The Stanford Compression Forum Summer Internship offers high schoolers and community college students the opportunity to complete multidisciplinary research projects.
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh has unpaid internships open to high schoolers at its four museums.
The New-York Historical Society’s Student Historian Internship Program allows high school students to conduct research and tell stories using the society’s vast resources.
The Act Now Coalition of Illinois after-school programs has a database of high school internships and other youth job opportunities in the Chicago area.