District 214’s internship program is aimed at students who have taken some career pathway coursework to explore a particular career interest and are interested in participating in an authentic work experience to further support their career exploration.

Internships offer students an opportunity to gain real-life work experience while learning industry specific skills and networking with industry professionals. These experiences typically occur outside the school day and are unpaid, as students are earning academic credit for their participation (.25 credit for a 30-hour experience; .5 credit for a 60-hour experience if available).

Internship Requirements

An interested student must:

• Have taken career pathway coursework in the area of interest.
• Be 16 years old by the start of the semester of the internship.
• Be a Junior or Senior (or will be a Junior/Senior in the fall for a summer internship).
• Regularly check their school-issued (@stu.d214) email.

* Students should consider their schedule and commitments to school activities and athletics prior to applying. Internships are offered during the fall, spring and summer, and students should apply for an internship experience in the semester(s) in which they will be able to fulfill the time commitment.  It is strongly recommended that students meet with their student success coach to discuss career goals.

Internship information

• Students have the choice of earning a letter grade (A = 4.0) or taking the course Pass/Fail.
• The internship is included on high school transcripts and is classified by one of the seven endorsement areas determined by the Illinois State Board of Education.
• Student participation is monitored and supported by Center for Career Discovery staff.

Application Timelines

• Summer Internship: Applications are open November 1 through February 28
• Fall Internship: Applications are open March 1 through April 30
• Spring Internship: Applications are open from the first day of school through October 31

To apply, students should log in to SchooLinks via their Google login, select "Programs" from the left navigation bar, and then select "Program Exploration." The appropriate application will be available based on the timeline indicated above. 

After the application is complete and the application window is closed, interviews will be scheduled by the school’s student success coach and will take place at school. Due to the customization and individualization involved with securing each internship placement, application to the program does not guarantee placement.

District 214 seeks hosts for internships!
If you own or manage a local business, consider hosting an intern. To learn more about how you can get involved, click here or call Kathy Gannon, D214 Partnership Manager, at 847-718-7483.