City extends application deadline for Thousand Strong paid internship program for high schoolers
Thousand Strong 2024 graduates
Sacramento (May 20, 2024) - The City has extended the application deadline until June 3 for Thousand Strong, a paid internship that places high schoolers with various Sacramento employers.
The Thousand Strong program, launched by Mayor Darrell Steinberg seven years ago, offers participants 300 hours of paid work experience over a year and an additional 40 hours of workplace basics training.
Employers for the 2024-2025 cohort include Florin Square Community Development Corporation, WellSpace Health, The Makers Place, Sacramento Public Library, Earth Mama Healing, and the Center for Land-Based Learning, with more employers expected to come on board in the future.
“In 2017, we launched Thousand Strong with the goal of providing year-round, paid work experience for high school students,” said Mayor Steinberg. “Through this program, our interns have dedicated 300 hours with local organizations, building skills and creating career pathways.”
Since the program started, more than 800 students have participated, earning more than $800,000 in wages and working nearly 70,000 hours.
“During my pre-internship, I wasn’t very outspoken and confident with my words and actions,” said Candice Vue, a high school senior at Grant Union High School, who has participated in Thousand Strong for two years. “As time progressed, I saw a major improvement with my communication skills and my confidence.”
The Thousand Strong program is unique because it employs a city-wide approach to workforce development, offering a year of paid work experience and place-based experiences. The program ensures that students leave the education system equipped with the skills needed to transition into the world of work.
“Thousand Strong really impacted me and left a lasting impression,” said Lili Barajas, a high school student at Natomas Charter School. “This internship program allowed me the opportunity to experience a real life work setting. I’ve never had a job before this internship and being on site in an area of work that I want to work in once I’m older motivated me and allowed me to really see myself in that setting.”
Samsara Gomez, a high school senior at Grant Union High School, said her participation in Thousand Strong had changed her conception of herself. “I’ve always thought of myself as lazy and not hard-working compared to others, but this internship has made me realize how motivated and determined I am when working outdoors,” she said.
“Something about working in the sun and being surrounded by bees and trees gives me the motivation to keep on going.”
Students interested in participating in Thousand Strong must be enrolled in high school, be 16 years old by June 1, 2024, 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, 2024. Parents or students with questions should reach out to thousandstrong@cityofsacramento.org.
