Student & Parent Information

Any juniors and seniors enrolled in a public Sonoma County high school or non-public school students who face significant challenges.

We will let students know what organizations are hosting internships and the types of internship roles available. However, students are not applying for a specific internship role. In your application and interview, you’ll share your interests, skills, and availability, and we’ll match you with the an 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.

Include adults who know your work ethic and character, such as teachers, club advisors, coaches, or volunteer/work supervisors. Please do not list family members.

Path to Purpose accepts applications from juniors and seniors enrolled in a public Sonoma County high school or students in a non-public Sonoma County high school that serves high-need students like. So, if the homeschooled student is a junior or senior enrolled with a public homeschool program (such as Pathways Charter,  Orchard View School, etc.), then they are eligible to apply. If the student is homeschooled through a private school, or homeschool independently without any school association, then they would not be eligible to apply.

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.

Yes, you must obtain a work permit before the start of your internship. This includes several steps, including obtaining a form from your school and having your parent/guardian and internship host sign it. See the steps below for more details.

1. Obtain a Work Permit Form from your school office (front office, counseling office, or career center)

2. Fill out the student section. Complete all required student information, including name, address, date of birth, school information, and parent/guardian information.

3. Have a parent/guardian sign the Work Permit Form

4. Have your internship host complete their section. You can either send the work permit to your internship host digitally to sign and send back to you, or you can take the Work Permit form to complete in-person. Work with your internship host for what works best for them. They will fill out the business name, address, job duties, and work schedule, and then sign the form.

5. Submit the form to your school. Once all sections of the Work Permit Form are complete, turn in the completed form to your school office or designated school staff member.

6. Receive your work permit from your school. The school will review your application, and if approved, will issue your official work permit. You can usually pick it up from the same location where you submitted it.

7. Scan or take a picture of your work permit and send it to your SRJC Work Experience Instructor

8. Bring the permit to your employer on the first day of your internship

Yes! Once your internship is secured, Path to Purpose will help you enroll in the Santa Rosa Junior College’s Internship Class (99i). This is an asynchronous course, which means it is an online course with no scheduled live meetings. An SRJC instructor will be assigned to you and you will submit assignments through a digital platform called Canvas. You can complete the coursework at your own pace, but will still have to meet certain deadlines.

Upon completing 40 hours in your internship and all required work 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.