JP Morgan Chase & Co. High School Apprenticeship Program

  • Eligibility: Any year in high school

  • Location: Dependent on team placement

  • Timeline: TBA

  • Program Length: Dependent on team placement

JP Morgan is one of the most well-known and selective banks in the world. Luckily, they offer apprenticeship programs for high school students. This is a truly standout opportunity for students interested in finance and business, as the program provides high schoolers with the chance to immerse themselves in the financial sector. These opportunities can range from week-long work experiences to full-time roles, depending on what you are looking for. This is a great opportunity to learn about banking, investments, risk management, and other key financial services through mentorship, workshops, and hands-on experiences.

Meta Summer Academy

  • Eligibility: Sophomores living in specific areas within California

  • Location: California

  • Timeline: TBA, but expect an opening around December and a deadline in March

  • Program Length: Six weeks (mid-June to late July)

The Meta Summer Academy is a unique opportunity for high schoolers to learn about day-to-day operations at the company. “Externs,” as they are labelled, will have the opportunity to work closely with a summer mentor (current employee at Meta) to gain real-world work experience and on-the-job skills. Externs are able to collaborate on projects under the guidance of experienced mentors and get to network with peers and experts alike. 


Bank of America Student Leaders

  • Eligibility: Junior or senior

  • Location: Dependent on non-profit placement

  • Deadline: Opens October, deadline mid-January

  • Program Length: Eight weeks

Bank of America Student Leaders is a paid, eight-week internship centredcentered around students inclined toward community service. Students will have the opportunity to be matched with a nonprofit and work closely with them over the summer, gaining invaluable experience in understanding the operations of a nonprofit. Additionally, students spend a week in Washington D.C. at the National Student Leaders Summit, where they understand how nonprofits, governments, and businesses collaborate to meet local needs. 


Wharton Global Youth Programs

  • Eligibility: Program dependent

  • Location: On-campus or online

  • Deadline: Program dependent

  • Program Length: 3-6 weeks

Although not a typical internship at a firm, the Wharton Global Youth Programs are a great way to get an introduction to the business world. WGYP offers a variety of summer programs, both in-person and online, that cover different aspects of business. Depending on the program you attend, you will learn about business and take part in real-world case studies that emulate a plethora of business scenarios. I attended the Management and Technology Summer Institute (M&TSI), a three-week program where we created a technology-related startup from scratch. If you’re more entrepreneurial, you would lead towards a program like this. However, if you’re inclined to traditional business, a program like Leadership in the Business World (LBW) would make sense for you.


KPMG Future Leaders Program

  • Eligibility: Women in senior year

  • Location: N/A

  • Deadline: Opens mid-fall, deadline TBA

  • Program Length: One year

KPMG Future Leaders is a great chance for women looking to break into a business field during their time in college. This program pairs those chosen with an executive mentor for one year (a senior leader who attended KPMG’s Women’s Leadership Summit), who will help each student develop professionally and personally over the duration of the program. Participants also get a chance to participate in the KPMG Future Leaders Retreat, where they will learn about leadership, career development, and transitioning to college. If that wasn’t enough, participants receive $10,000 per year for four years of college.

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FDIC Economist

  • Eligibility: Senior

  • Location: San Francisco

  • Deadline: September 22, 2023

  • Program Length: One year

The US government is a great place to go to find internship opportunities in the business realm. If you are more economically inclined, there are plenty of opportunities that are always popping up. The one linked above is an economics internship position at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC provides deposit insurance to depositors in American commercial banks. In this role, students have the opportunity to research and compile financial and economic information, as well as gain skills in relevant software programs like Excel, PowerPoint, and more. As mentioned previously, government positions are always popping up and typically have short windows, so continuously check the USAJobs website for any updates.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

  • Eligibility: Any year

  • Location: Richmond, Washington

  • Deadline: Opens early February, deadline TBA

  • Program Length: School year (August-May)

PNNL offers this rigorous business internship over the school year for high schoolers living in the state of Washington. During the academic year, students have the opportunity to attend their classes for half a day and then work for the other half of the day. Students have the ability to work closely with a mentor in an area of their interest within business to work towards elective credits for graduation. This program is unique when compared to most of the other programs on this list, because it spans over the course of the school year, which is something to keep in mind and something you have to determine if you’d want to do.

The Intern Group Global Internship

  • Eligibility: Any year

  • Location: Global

  • Deadline: Year-round, so can apply whenever you desire

  • Program Length: You get to choose

As you can see from the information above, The Intern Group’s Global Internship Program is extremely flexible in many ways. But, the core of the program is as follows: Students will develop both professionally and personally in a city of their choice. Once accepted to their program, you will be matched to a company in a field of your choice and location of your choice. From there, you can decide where you want to go, how long you want to go for, and what area you want to intern in. This is a great option for students who know they want to work in business, but aren’t necessarily sure of where they would want to work. It can be a great introductory opportunity, while also being able to work in a foreign country

Intern Colombia

  • Eligibility: Any year

  • Location: Colombia

  • Deadline: Three months prior to your selected start date

  • Program Length: You get to choose

If you are interested in interning in an emerging economy, Intern Colombia is the perfect program for you. Intern Colombia is a paid program that offers internships within business, where you will have the ability to work closely with a company in an emerging economy, helping them in a variety of ways. Depending on whether you are placed with a startup, multinational corporation, NGO, or even a technology company, your tasks could range from scaling a startup to helping maintain relations. If you don’t want to worry about the hassle of traveling to Colombia, you can still participate in this program virtually.

Reach out to people/companies!

The final option you have, if you don’t want to participate in a structured internship program, is to attempt to create your own opportunity. Although this may sound daunting, it’s much more straightforward than you would think. The most important aspect of this is networking. Reach out to people in fields that you’re interested in who are doing work that appeals to you. Send them a quick LinkedIn message asking them to set up a time to talk about their experiences and what they do, and develop a relationship from there, eventually inquiring about any work opportunities that are open at the company. This video does a great job of explaining how one student created his own internship opportunity at Deloitte.

Conclusion

Any of these options would be great to get a start in the world of business. Having real-world experience before entering college is a very unique leg up to have. These programs not only provide valuable experience but also help students develop essential skills and build a strong foundation for future careers. This list is a great place to start in terms of finding some opportunities, but you can also take a look at websites like Indeed to find seasonal opportunities at smaller companies in your area that may need business development assistance. 

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