Building Local Talent Pipelines
We help organizations launch meaningful internship programs for young people.
Through our Learn and Earn Internship Program, our employer partners provide work-based learning experiences that help students develop as professionals, while expanding talent development pipelines for underrepresented talent within their local communities.
Partnership Structure
High Schools or Community-Based Organizations
Recruit students and provide a supportive learning environment.
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Employers
Place interns with managers who can provide a meaningful paid internship experience, at least 6 hours per week.
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Opportunity College
Provides curriculum and instruction through our Intern Seminar Course, which helps students build professional skills and reflect on their experience.
What Students Gain
Our Learn & Earn Internship Programs help high school and college-age students to:
Gain meaningful work experience
Master professional skills at an accelerated rate
Build professional and social capital
Explore career interests
Secure future employment (at internship host site or another company) that fosters career advancement
Intern Seminar Course
We deliver a career-oriented curriculum that helps students develop durable character skills, knowledge, agency, and professional competencies required for success as a lifelong learner and career professional.
Four Stages of Learning
Our instructional approach incorporates four-stages of learning designed to help young people become self-directed, self-determined learners who are empowered to reflect and make decisions to guide their career trajectory and aligned continuing education.
Theory: Learn key skills in the classroom environment
Application: Practice new skills in the classroom setting and then on-the-job
Feedback: Receive feedback aligned to a Skills Rubric (calibrated to students' age and experience)
Reflection: Process and reflect in a cohort learning community during weekly class and through formal end-of-semester portfolio presentations
Example Course Topics
Crafting your Professional Brand
Goal Setting & Time Management
Workplace Skills (Communication, Setting up you Calendar & Email Inbox, Note-taking)
Giving & Receiving Feedback
Contributing to a Team
Analyzing a Problem & Generating Solutions
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We are seeking employers who are interested in hosting high school and/or college-age students for:
Part-time, paid internships
3-12 months long
Allow for meaningful work experience
We can help design and launch a brand new program or we can provide a talent development curriculum to complement an organization’s existing internship program.
If your organization is looking to reimagine the impact of corporate and social responsibility and/or expand your diverse talent development pipeline, please contact us.
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We work with high school partners to launch internship programs at your schools. We provide virtual curriculum and instruction, but depend on high school partners to ensure the student experience feels supportive and cohesive. We also work with high school partners to ensure students get academic credit for the Intern Seminar course. If your school is looking to expand career-connected programming to your high school students or recent graduates, please contact us.
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We collaborate with community-based organizations and philanthropic investors to implement “Learn and Earn” internship models in after-school or summer settings. If your organization is looking to expand career-connected programming to young people in your local community, please contact us.
Partner with us
For more information, please email Sarah Barrett (sbarrett@opcollege.org).