Business internships for high school students offer a valuable boost into the professional world, and the competitive nature of their application processes reflects that.

✔️A valuable business internship provides real-world opportunities for high school students, i.e. soon-to-be college students, to make an impact, explore potential career paths, grow relevant skills, and determine where they shine. 

❌The only problem? Most high school students have an empty resume and a lacking portfolio, and they know nothing about the day to day operations that their future careers may entail. 

How can they prove they have what it takes to make it in a business internship without tangible projects in their back pocket? High school students need experience to get great internship opportunities, but if they need experience to get experience, how do they get that experience?

That's where BETA Camp comes in. We give high school students the resources and framework to build something real—an app, a website, a product—so they can showcase their skills. 

Think about it — your kid can say they're “hardworking and ambitious” in their cover letter, or they can tell a story about how they launched their own company from scratch to showcase their promising business skills.

Valuable hands on experience in the business world is what kids need to land their next big accomplishment. And to show you what's possible, we've put together a list of exciting business internships your kids will totally be able to crush after their time with us — including paid summer internships and unpaid ones that will nonetheless help them gain experience.

Best business internships for ambitious high schoolers

Jimerson Birr High School Internships

Paid?: No

Application deadline: TBA

Duration: 4 to 6 weeks

Location: Florida, CA

Eligibility: High school seniors

Jimerson Berr is a business and commercial litigation firm based in Jacksonville, Florida. Their high school summer internship program provides an opportunity to explore a career in a dynamic organization focused on your kid's professional development. It offers a unique chance to enter their first year of college with practical experience. From the beginning, interns are involved in meaningful work, becoming an integral part of the Jimerson Birr team.

Throughout the 4 to 6 week internship, high school students have the chance to contribute in various departments. Summer interns collaborate closely with department heads and their teams to enhance their professional skills. Depending on their interests, they can gain exposure to accounting, communications and marketing, legal services, and IT and the tech industry.

Acquiring fundamental knowledge in business administration is a versatile skill applicable to various fields. Former interns have pursued majors in college such as communications, psychology, economics, biology, computer science and more.

Bank of America Student Leaders Program

Paid?: Yes

Application deadline: TBA but usually applications close in January (applications for 2024 closed on January 17th; check their website for info on next year)

Duration: 8 weeks, 35 hours per week

Location: Multiple locations in the US

Eligibility: High school juniors and high school seniors who are permanent residents in one of the eligible locations

Bank of America Student Leaders assign participants to local, pre-chosen non-profit organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America and Habitat for Humanity to learn the administration and management of nonprofits, alongside leadership training. 

Due to the direct work with people in need — such as The Refuge, a program based in South Sacramento that provides a variety of services to underserved youth in the area — this program is a good fit for you if you have a strong drive to solve real problems for real people in real-time. 

Community-minded students will thrive in this environment and learn the ins and outs of practical aspects of non-profit operations in person.

But if your kid is looking for a more tech-focused, fast-paced startup environment, this may not be a good fit.

PNNL High School Business Internships

Paid:? No

Application deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with an early February opening

Duration: August through May

Location: Richmond, Washington

Eligibility: High school students

Eligible applicants with an interest in business may consider an internship at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The internship runs during the academic year, with students attending regular half-day classes at school and working up to 4 hours per day, five days a week at PNNL.

High school students can develop professional skills by collaborating with mentors in specific business areas and engaging in educational and career development activities, including laboratory demonstrations, field trips, networking events, and career awareness workshops.

For an academic year internship program, PNNL collaborates with the high school's work-based learning program to provide elective credits applicable to graduation. The program is cost-free and located in Richmond, Washington.

Ladders for Leaders

Paid?: Yes

Application deadline: N/A

Duration: 6 weeks, 25-40 hours per week

Location: New York

Eligibility: You're between the ages of 16-21 and enrolled in high school or college, have a Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00, and are a resident of one of the five boroughs of New York City

Ladders for Leaders offers pre-employment training through resume and cover letter support, plus coaching for interviewing skills. Participants work with leading corporations and nonprofit organizations across a variety of industries and roles.

A nationally recognized program, Ladders for Leaders also holds a rich alumni network. This program is for you if you're looking for mentorship and flexible assignment options.

Port of Seattle Business Internships for High School Students

Paid?: Yes

Application deadline: Applications for their summer program and internship programs open in May, applications for their winter program open in November

Duration: 8 weeks

Location: Seattle

Eligibility: High school juniors and high school seniors

The Port of Seattle's High School Internship Program is crafted to equip interns with the necessary skills for success in a corporate setting. Interns receive training on the Port's Code of Conduct, communication technology, and essential business skills, including diversity and inclusion, process improvement, project management, networking, public speaking, communications, and leadership.

Throughout the summer, various career awareness activities are available to enhance learning and exposure to different facets of the Port. These activities include mentorship meetings, facility tours, LinkedIn 101, and resume workshops.

The Port of Seattle provides internship opportunities for high school students in two cohorts, during the summer and winter. When applying, students should take into account their schedule during the school year (winter) and summer break.

Meta Summer Academy

Paid?: Yes

Application deadline: March 1, 2024

Duration: 6 weeks, 30 hours per week

Location: California

Eligibility: High school sophomores who are permanent residents of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, or Redwood City

Participants in the Meta Summer Academy, formerly known as the Facebook Summer Academy, gain insights into the day-to-day operations of one of the world's leading social media networks as part of a vibrant workforce.

The internship program is run in California from June through July. As a high school student, you will delve into coding, explore potential career paths, and cultivate soft skills essential for successful careers. The primary aim is to inspire and encourage young individuals to attain economic success, stability, and mobility through skills development and early exploration of careers in the tech industry.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Meta Summer Academy has provided valuable summer opportunities to over 200 high school students and aims to extend its impact to more students during the summer of 2024.

DOROT Summer Internship

Paid?: No

Application deadline: Rolling (open for summer 2024)

Duration: 4 weeks

Location: New York City

Eligibility: High school sophomores, high school juniors and high school seniors

DOROT, a nonprofit focused on preventing social isolation among the elderly, provides 4-week internships for high school students in New York City. This opportunity is available to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors, allowing them to do paid internships alongside a diverse group of socially conscious peers. The goal is to foster vital social connections for older adults.

Participating in one of the four summer teen internship programs enables students to develop leadership skills and engage in meaningful activities with older adults.

The internship involves various intergenerational activities, such as discussion groups, home visits, creative arts, and tech assistance, allowing students to contribute to the community during the summer while accruing over 112 community service hours.

The program is offered within the following scope:

• Session 1: June 24 - July 18 | Manhattan
• Session 2: July 23 - August 15 | Manhattan
• Suffolk Y JCC Session: July 22 - August 15 | Long Island
• Shorefront Y Session: July 22 - August 15 | Brighton Beach (Russian Speaking)

KP Launch High School Program

Paid?: Yes

Application deadline: TBA (closed for summer 2024, sign up for their mailing list to receive notifications on the next round of applications)

Duration: 7 weeks

Location: Varies (usually anywhere where there is a KP office)

Eligibility: High school juniors and high school seniors

While Kaiser Permanente is primarily focused on healthcare, the KP Launch program takes on various business and administrative responsibilities. This program specifically explores non-medical careers in healthcare, offering internship opportunities for high school students in areas such as accounting, administration, human resources management and research and development.

Interns are not involved in medical treatments or procedures for patients or members during the internship.

The seven-week paid summer work experience includes earning an hourly minimum wage, ranging from $15.50 to $18 per hour depending on the city. Weekly workshops are designed to enhance personal and professional skills development, and participants build unique relationships with supervisors and mentors.

Networking opportunities with peers and senior leaders are facilitated through work-based activities, community service projects, corporate environments, and social events.

Why should you complete an internship in high school?

What sounds better on a resume or application? 

➡️ “I theorized and speculated XYZ.”

Or

➡️ “I built and tracked XYZ.” 

One shows possibility, and the other displays proven results. 

Real-world experiences with tangible results will always beat classroom theory. 

Internships provide the ideal setting for problem-solving and real-world experience, giving your kid the chance to deliver, learn, and hone an extensive list of skill sets coveted in college applications. To name a few: 

• Proven success
• Follow-through
• Dedication 
• Leadership skills
• Business development
• Critical thinking
• and many more!

Displaying real skill sets places your kid in a different category of applicants — the ones colleges take a closer look at, the students who show the drive and passion for their chosen course of study and professional development. 

And the best way to get one of these coveted internships? Prove that you've got what it takes. 

BETA Camp is a proven track to show that your kid has the skills they need to thrive in any internship.

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