PATH TO PURPOSE
Student & Parent Information
High School Internships for Juniors and Seniors in Sonoma County
Are you ready to explore your passions, gain real-world experience, and build your future? Path to Purpose helps high school juniors and seniors like you connect with internships that align with your interests and career goals.
Whether you dream of working in healthcare, engineering, business, tech, education, or another field, this program opens doors to professional environments where you can learn, grow, and shine.
Important Information
Who Can Apply: Any juniors and seniors enrolled in a Sonoma County high school.
Application Process: No need to know all the local opportunities, simply fill out the application and we will help pair you with an internship that meets your needs!
Placement: You’ll be matched based on your interests, skills, availability, and goals
Hours: Internships are 40+ total hours during the spring semester
College Credit: Earn 1 early college credit at Santa Rosa Junior College upon completion
A Wide Range of Internship Opportunities
The CTE Foundation and Sonoma County Office of Education partnered to provide a wide range of employers to host internships in agriculture, business, education and child development, engineering, building trades, healthcare, environmental science, information and technology, nonprofits, manufacturing, and professional services.
Earn Early College Credit
When you work 40 or more hours at an internship, you have the ability to earn early college credit. Earning early college credit gives high school students a head start on their college journey, saving time and money!
Before you apply, please make sure that you are able to meet ALL of the following criteria:
- You are a junior or senior in high school.
- You will be 16 years old by the spring semester of your junior or senior year of high school.
- You have a Letter of Recommendation from an adult such as a teacher, counselor, coach, etc. (If it’s not ready, you can add it later by editing your application. The deadline to submit it is Oct. 20, 2025)
- You have a Résumé & Cover Letter (A short letter that tells us who you are, what interests you have, and why you are interested in an internship) ready for upload.
- You can commit to completing at least 40 hours of internship work during the Spring semester (approximately 3-6 hours per week over 8-12 weeks).
Dates & Deadlines
Tools & Resources
Build Your Resume!
A resume is like your personal highlight reel—it shows off your skills, experiences, and strengths all in one place. Even if you don’t have a lot of job experience yet, you can include things like classes you’ve taken, school projects, sports, clubs, or volunteer work. Having a resume makes it easier for employers to see what makes you a great fit for an internship, and it’s something you’ll keep adding to as you grow.
What Skills to Add Build Your Cover Letter!
A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to an employer and explain why you’re excited about the internship, while also
Frequently Asked Questions
Any juniors and seniors enrolled in a Sonoma County high school.
No need to know what organizations are out there hosting internships. You’ll share your interests, skills, and schedule, and we’ll match you with the the internship opportunity that fits you best.
Yes. You should have a resume that shows your skills, education, work and volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, awards and achievements. If you need help building or refining your resume, we recommend speaking to the college and career counselor at your school.
Some internships are paid, while others are unpaid. Regardless of pay, all internships are designed to offer valuable hands-on experience. And both options will allow you to earn early college credit if you enroll in the SRJC’s Internship course.
Each internship includes at least 40 total hours during the spring semester (January – May). But you are welcome to do more, and some internships will require more than 40 hours. Your internship schedule and how many hours per week you are in the internship depends on several factors: 1) Your availability when taking into consideration your school schedule, sports, clubs, a job, and other obligations. 2) The internships host’s preferred schedule. Some hosts may be very flexible while some may have set days and times to host an intern.
To request a letter of recommendation, think about the adults in your life who know you well and can speak to your strengths, character, and skills. This might include teachers, counselors, coaches, mentors, or even supervisors from a job or volunteer experience. They will be honored that you are asking them! Reach out to them early – preferably a couple weeks before you need the letter. Let them know what the letter is for and why you’re asking them to write one.
Yes, if you are under 18 years of age, you will need a work permit. Your school’s counseling or career center can help you get one. You will fill it out a form with your internship host employer and return it to your school for approval.
Once your internship is secured, Path to Purpose will help you enroll in the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Internship Class (99i). Upon completing 40 hours in your internship and all required work and assignments for the class, you will earn one early college credit.
Yes! Our team will be available to support you before and during your internship experience, and we’ll also check in to make sure it’s a good fit. If you are enrolled in the SRJC’s Internship Course, you will also be provided an instructor that acts as a coach to help you and your internship host draft learning goals.
Absolutely. The application will help you explore your interests and strengths, and we’ll work to place you in an experience that helps you discover new possibilities.
