Is it ever too early to start looking into internship opportunities? Definitely not! Internships are great for all students, not just college undergraduates. They teach students about the field they’re entering, give students great networking opportunities and in many cases even help students pick a college major. But what are pre-collegiette internships all about, and where do you even get one?
HC got the scoop on some great places to look into for high school internships. From organizations like NASA to the New-York Historical Society, there are plenty of places to get professional experience before college.
1. New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society’s Student Historian program serves students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade to immerse them in jobs in public history. The program seeks to train students in public speaking, leadership skills and understanding of United States history.
This program is perfect for students interested in history who want to learn more about the inner workings of museums, archive rooms and teaching materials within the discipline. It gives students considering a college major in history the opportunity to understand what it takes to put that degree to use and to translate the skills and knowledge gained in a classroom to use in the professional world. To learn more about the Student Historian program as well as other programs the New-York Historical Society offers, visit their website here.
2. South Middlesex Opportunity Council
The South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), an organization located in Framingham, Massachusetts, seeks to “improve the quality of life of low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families by advocating for their needs and rights,” according to their website, which makes it the perfect place for those interested in social justice and activism to intern as a high school student.
The SMOC offers internships in many different areas, including behavior health, administration, nutrition services, childcare, anti-violence advocacy and homelessness. To learn more about the specific programs they offer, take a look at their listing.
SMOC has internships perfect for the future civil servant: someone who wants to teach, work in public administration, work in human services or advocate for others less fortunate than themselves.
To apply for one of SMOC’s internships, visit their hiring page.
3. Microsoft
In Microsoft’s high school internship program, students will learn a lot about the world of computer science and programming. Microsoft internships are geared toward STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) students, so if you were thinking of pursuing a degree in one of those fields, Microsoft is the place for you!
Students applying to Microsoft’s high school internship program should:
- Have a working knowledge of HTML
- Be comfortable using email and Microsoft Office
- Live in the Washington state area
- Be willing to work 40 hours per week
- Be able to provide a resume and letter of recommendation
It’s never too early to start learning about computer science and programming, and interning with Microsoft is a great way to get a leg up on your college studies. Plus, getting to know people at Bill Gates’ company doesn’t sound half bad, are we right?
To learn more about internships at Microsoft, take a look at their webpage.
4. Google
Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute, a program designed for students following their senior year, seeks to introduce future computer engineers into the professional world, help them learn more about computer science and set them on the right track to networking within the field. That all sounds pretty good to us!
Applicants should be intending to go to a four-year college located in the U.S. or Canada, be majoring in a computer science field of study and demonstrate a passion for computer science. To find out more about applying, visit Google’s website.
5. NASA
Like Microsoft, NASA’s internship program primarily serves STEM students. To be considered for NASA’s high school program, students need to fulfill the following conditions:
- Have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Be 16 or older at the time when the internship starts
- Be a U.S. citizen
NASA’s internship is definitely best suited for all of you science students with an interest in Earth and space science as well as computer science. This real-world application of your already existing skill sets as well as skills you will learn during the program will give you an advantage while pursuing a natural sciences and/or computer science degree by the time college rolls around!
To apply for this internship or learn more, you can visit NASA’s website.
6. The Constitutional Rights Foundation
According to its website, The Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) “seeks to instill in our nation's youth a deeper understanding of citizenship through values expressed in our Constitution and its Bill of Rights and to educate young people to become active and responsible participants in our society.”
Through its Expanding Horizons Internship program, the CRF places many high schoolers in the Los Angeles area in internships with various organizations in the LA area—anything from law firms to nonprofits.
To be considered for an internship via CRF, students should do the following:
- Fill out the application
- Submit a transcript and two letters of recommendation
- Provide proof of participation in Free/Reduced Meals Program
- Write an essay
- Complete interviews
CRF’s program is awesome because it helps underserved students in urban areas get internship experience before heading to college, helping them to stand out during the admissions process. It also gives students with all sorts of academic interests a chance to explore different careers—there is no single subject CRF caters to.
To learn more about CRF’s Expanding Horizons Internship program, visit their website.
7. The Smithsonian
Ah, the Smithsonian—this place has it all when it comes to internships, including opportunities in public administration, natural history and art history. If working in Washington, D.C., is up your alley, an internship at the Smithsonian would be a great fit for you.
While the Smithsonian offers an unbelievable amount of internship opportunities at all different times of the year, one thing stays the same: students need to be 14 years old to apply, and if they’re under the age of 18, they need signed parent/guardian permission.
It can be pretty intimidating to start poking around the Smithsonian internship website because of the pure volume of opportunities there. If you’re not sure where to begin (which, by the way, is totally fine), try using the “find” feature on your Internet browser for key words. If you still have no idea what you’re looking for, try applying to the General Smithsonian Internship Pool. This is for the student who doesn’t have a specific office or museum at the Smithsonian he or she would like to apply to, but has a general interest in interning at the Smithsonian.
To learn more about the Smithsonian and its vast array of internship opportunities, take a look at its internship website.
No matter where they are, high school internships can be a great way to figure out what you might want to do with your life and gain experience for your resume. Good luck, pre-collegiettes!