These days, internships are not just for college students anymore as a lot of high school students have started taking on internship positions, especially over the summer.
Internships give high school students—especially seniors—the opportunity to gain real-life and work experiences, acquire new valuable skills, understand professional opportunities, and also build up their college applications.
It also gives them the opportunity to network with professionals and also aids them to decide a major and career path.
Getting an internship involves planning, determination, and dedication.
What is Internship?
An internship is a short-term introductory professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work of a certain profession to the intern.
Internships, as defined as short-term, can last for about a few weeks, months, or a year. It may be part-time or full-time, and can sometimes be paid or unpaid.
The main aim of an internship is to give hands-on experience and insight into a certain profession to the intern, and this achieved by performing operational duties. This allows you to connect with the job and gives you an idea of what is obtainable and expected in that career field and aids you decide if you are interested or not.
Benefits of Internships
Internships have lots of benefits especially for high school students. Here are a few of those benefits:
- Gain more knowledge about a career or different career fields. This will help you make reasonable plans for your future.
- You create networks and connections with professionals and people in your career field of interest or even in others, and this will come in handy in the future when you want to start your career or business.
- An internship gives you firsthand experience of real-life and its challenges. It allows you to experience different working environments and enable you to choose what career suits you.
- As an intern, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, and this allows you to develop yourself professionally and personally. It helps you groom yourself, knowing what you need to change and improve, allowing you to have a head start in your career and self-development.
- It strengthens your college applications as it will show your commitment, dedication to learning, and also show the valuable skills you have acquired. This will make your application different and set apart from the others.
- A paid internship earns you a paycheck, and you could use the money for those extra spending you do, or you save it for college.
Internships for High School Students
United States Secret Service
This is an unpaid internship that provides an understanding of the structure of the U.S. Secret Service. It also allows students to explore career options and offers valuable learning-oriented experiences while enabling them to contribute to one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world.
Eligibility Requirements
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have at least 16 years at the time of appointment
- Be enrolled in an accredited educational institution (high school, college or university)
- Not be a son or daughter of a current employee at The Secret Service
Apply for the United States Secret Service Internship here
The Smithsonian
Smithsonian offers a variety of internship opportunities to high school students at Smithsonian’s various museums, research centers, and other units.
Interns can find roles in natural history, art history, visitor services, museum conservation, public administration, and much more, which helps them learn communication skills and also express themselves.
Eligibility Requirements
- Be 14 or older
- Live near or be able to relocate to Washington DC
Apply for the Smithsonian Internship here
NASA
The internship program at NASA provides students with unique NASA-related research and operational experiences. It offers experiential learning under the guidance of a mentor at NASA, providing an opportunity for students interested in the STEM disciplines.
Eligibility Requirements
- Be 16 or older by the time of appointment
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on the 4.0 scale
Apply for the NASA Internship here
Internships for High School Students
BRAINYAC
This Internship program is offered through Zuckerman Institute’s Brian Research Apprenticeships in New York at Columbia University. It provides an immersive summer research experience in which high school students train and work in scientific research laboratories at Columbia University, connecting the students with scientists for intensive summer lab internships.
Eligibility Requirements
- Be a resident of New York City.
- Must be a 10th or 11th-grade students
Apply for the Brainyac Internship Here
Microsoft High School Internship
This internship program gives students interested in computer-related fields and courses the opportunity to delve further into computer science and programming. It is one of the perfect internships for high school students interested in pursuing degrees in STEM-related fields as it focuses on STEM skills and learning.
Eligibility Requirements
- Have knowledge of HTML
- Be acquainted with email and Microsoft office
Apply for Microsoft High School Internship here
Internships for High School Students
Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan
This program is open to high school students around the world and is an excellent opportunity to gain more experience in STEM-related courses and fields. It also offers the chance to learn a new culture.
Requirements:
- Minimum GPA of 3.2 (using a Max of 4.0)
- Must be 16 years or older and have covered all course work for grade 10.
Apply for the Shibaura Institute of Technology Internship here
Geosciences Bridge Program
This internship program is at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and runs for six weeks. It is for high school seniors who plan to pursue careers in geosciences and related courses. Interns receive lectures, go on field trips, hands-on activities, a stipend, and also credit for two college courses.
Apply for the Geosciences Bridge Program Internship here
High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP)
This program provides science and engineering research experience. On the other hand, it goes alongside university researches sponsored by the Army Research Office. HSAP allows students to develop skills in Army critical research. It is also a paid internship.
Apply for the High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) here
Student Research Internship Program at the Scripps Translational Science Institute
This internship program offers high school students with an interest in genomic or genetic science the opportunity to work with and learn from a team of scientists. It is an 8-week intensive program that prepares young scientists to be leaders in the field of translational science.
Apply here
Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program
This is a paid internship for high school students interested in the fisheries profession. It offers students hands-on experience in freshwater or marine settings and educates them about fisheries science and management. It is sponsored by the American Fisheries Society.
Apply here
Final tips: Internships for High School Students
These Internships for High School Students are here to help students gain exposure and experience in a chosen field of study.
There could be challenges that occur during the course of internship like finances (for unpaid internships), Maltreatment from boss or co-workers, racism etc. In this situation, do let your school know about it.
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