Thousand Strong offers paid internships for Sacramento teens. Here's how to apply
Sacramento, CA (May 1, 2023) - The City’s Thousand Strong paid internship program for high schoolers is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 session.
Thousand Strong offers high school students the potential to gain 300 hours of paid work experience and an additional 40 hours of workplace basics training.
“Preparing our young people must become a core service that cities offer, and Sacramento has a head start with Thousand Strong, said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who started the program after he took office in 2017. “These are real, year-long, paid experiences that build resumes, job skills, and income for our students.”
Mayor Darrell Steinberg with some of the students that work for Center for Land Based Learning in the BUGS program at Luther Burbank High School.
Since the program started, more than 800 students have participated, earning more than $650,000 in wages and working nearly 60,000 hours.
“Thousand Strong not only helped me grow but also improved myself by giving me new opportunities and also provided me with a job that helped me provide not only for me but also for my family,” said Nolan Kincaid, a Health Professions High School student and intern at WellSpace.
Unlike many internship programs that rely on stipends, Thousand Strong pays wages and creates an opportunity for participants to learn about taxes, savings, and interact with a financial institutions as well.
“Through Thousand Strong, we have connected Sacramento students with local employers to provide hands-on job experience and mentor our young leaders. This program continues to bring a youth perspective to our efforts as we continue to support the next generation of our region’s workforce,” said Jazmine Alop, Workforce Development Program Manager at the Metro Chamber Foundation.
Currently the Metro Chamber Foundation, Wellspace Health, Sacramento Public Library, the Center for Land Based Learning, and the Makers Place are all participating in the program with more employers expected to come on board in the near future.
Students interested in participating in Thousand Strong must be enrolled in high school, be 16 years old by June 16, 2023, and be able to obtain a work permit from their school if they are under 18 years old. The application is a very simple online form, and applications are due by June 3, 2023. Parents or students with questions should reach out to thousandstrong@cityofsacramento.org.
