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Internships, Volunteering, & Work Experience – Gain real-world skills and service hours


Gaining hands-on experience in high school is one of the most powerful ways to boost confidence, explore career interests, and build a competitive college application.
 
High school students looking to discover future career paths, complete community service hours, or strengthen their résumés will benefit from these curated opportunities for internships, volunteer work, job shadowing, and professional mentorship.
 



High School Internships

StandOutSearch

​Free, searchable database featuring internships, research programs, and summer opportunities across STEM, business, arts, and more.

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Smithsonian Internships for Teens

​Offers a range of museum, science, and cultural internships for high school students nationwide.

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National Academy Foundation Career Academies

Industry-linked high schools offering summer internships and career-specific training.

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Empowerly Internships for High School Students

​Prestigious programs offering high school students hands-on experiences in research, science, and culture.

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InternWorks

​Connects high school students with remote and in-person internships across industries including finance, media, STEM, and law.

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Volunteer Databases for Teens

​VolunteerMatch

Find virtual and local opportunities tailored to teens by cause, time availability, and location.

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DoSomething.org

Youth-powered platform offering cause-based campaigns and virtual volunteering projects.

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TeenLife

​Curated listings of nonprofits and causes welcoming high school volunteers.

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Idealist.org

Database of thousands of nonprofit volunteer and internship opportunities, including student-friendly filters.

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College Transitions

A broad list of nationwide volunteer groups (virtual and in-person) designed for high school students.

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POINT App

A student-friendly mobile app to find and track volunteer opportunities and build service portfolios.

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Job Shadowing & Mentorships for High School Students

Polygence Pathfinders

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Connects students with professionals in fields of interest and sets up structured job shadowing and mentorship .

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CareerVillage.org

Students ask real career questions and receive answers from working professionals across industries.

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PrepScholar Job Shadowing Guide

Offers clear guidance on how to approach job shadowing, from questions to ask to how to set it up wisely.

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Shadowing.ai

AI-powered platform that matches students with virtual job shadowing experiences in top fields.

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Horizon Inspires

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Top 14 Research Mentorship Programs that Every High School Student Should Know About.​

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Girls Who Code 

Free, Summer Immersion Program of virtual coding and mentorship experience for high school girls.​

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Lumiere Education

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10 Mentorship Programs for High School Students.​

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Part-Time Jobs & Paid Work Opportunities

Youth.gov Job Programs

Federal listings of job training and youth employment initiatives, often free or paid.

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CoolWorks Teen Jobs

Seasonal and summer jobs for teens in unique settings (parks, resorts, ranches, etc.).

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YMCA

Check with local centers, which often hire teens for summer roles or lifeguard training. NYC listed as example.

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ZipRecruiter Summer Jobs

A go-to platform offering teens a variety of temporary summer roles—like camp counselor, retail associate, and lifeguard.

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