11 Business Internships for High School Students in Alabama
TL;DR
This article covers business internships and related workplace-learning opportunities for high school students in Alabama. Depending on the placement, students may organize office records, develop business strategies, support employer projects, or serve community members. Ladder Internships offers fully remote, eight-week startup internships in which students work on real projects and present their final deliverables to the company.
How does a business decide which customers to serve and what makes its product worth buying? The U.S. Small Business Administration explains how market research helps businesses understand customers and assess demand. Practical business experience lets you explore those questions through work that organizations need done. For Alabama high school students, that can mean connecting classroom interests with responsibility for a real task.
The selections reflect high school access in Alabama and opportunities involving business projects, organizational operations, or related career training.
For help getting started, explore this guide to finding a business internship in high school. If you prefer working closely with a smaller organization, browse these small business internships for high school students.
Why should you do a business internship?
A business internship can help you test your interest in how organizations make decisions and serve people. Working on real tasks gives you a basis for reflecting on the responsibilities you enjoy. To explore business through startup projects, check out Ladder Internships.
What skills can you pick up in business internships?
Business internships can develop your ability to interpret information, organize records, and communicate clearly about business needs. Spreadsheet and analytical work can strengthen accuracy and evidence-based reasoning. Writing updates, explaining findings, and managing deadlines can help you turn information into work that colleagues can understand and use.
How do you choose the right option?
Consider several factors before applying, including your grade level, location, academic background, schedule, and budget. Also check requirements related to citizenship, residency, coursework, or GPA, as these can vary significantly!
Program type |
Top programs |
Cost / Stipend |
Best For |
Virtual Programs |
Ladder Internship Program, QuantHub Alabama Data Scholars (on-site, hybrid, or fully virtual options) |
Cost Ladder: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available QuantHub: Free Stipend Ladder: None QuantHub: $1,200 for high school scholars upon successful program completion |
Students interested in startup business projects or applying data and AI to business problems, with remote participation options |
Office Administration |
EMW LAW LLC – Fall 2026 Internship Program, Retirement Systems of Alabama Internship Program – Clerical Aide |
Cost Free for all Stipend EMW LAW: Not disclosed RSA Clerical Aide: $806.90 semi-monthly |
Students interested in professional office environments and the administrative work supporting legal services or a state retirement agency |
Local Employer and Youth Placements |
Birmingham Promise Internship Program, YES 251 (Youth Empowered for Success), City of Birmingham Department of Youth Services – Kids & Jobs – Executive/Exposure Program, Mobile County Public Schools – MCPSS Summer Internship Program |
Cost Free for all Stipend Birmingham Promise: $15 per hour YES 251: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed Kids & Jobs: $11–$14 per hour MCPSS: Paid, amount not disclosed |
Students seeking local workplace experience and exposure to business functions, public service, or potential career paths |
Community Work and Career Training |
Jones Valley Teaching Farm High School Internship, Alabama Power Internship Program, Shelby County Career Technical Education Center – Opportunities |
Cost Jones Valley and Alabama Power: Free CTEC: Program fees of $15–$25 per year, varying by program Stipend Jones Valley: Paid, amount not disclosed Alabama Power: $12 per hour CTEC: Paid, amount not specified |
Students interested in community services, food systems, or practical career training connected to hospitality and healthcare |
1. QuantHub Alabama Data Scholars
Location: Statewide across Alabama; on-site, hybrid, or fully virtual
Stipend: $1,200 for high school scholars upon successful program completion
Acceptance rate/cohort size: About 7% estimated acceptance; 50 scholars, comprising 35 high school students and 15 undergraduates
Dates: June 7–July 30
Application Deadline: May 1
Eligibility: Enrolled in any Alabama high school (public, private, virtual, or home school); 16 or older by June 1; signed parental consent if under 18
You spend eight weeks on a paid project with an Alabama employer, putting at least 10 hours a week into your internship plus 5–10 hours into workshops on Excel, SQL, Python, data visualization, statistical analysis, and AI tools. The program's Data & Business Analytics track covers pivot tables, descriptive statistics, AI-assisted analysis, and business intelligence, and interns completed projects such as a nationwide sales analytics study at Altec and automated financial reporting at Three Notch Group.
Who is it best for: Students who want to apply Excel, analytics, and AI tools to real business problems in areas like sales, finance, and operations while working on a live project for an Alabama employer.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost/Stipend: Cost varies depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Around 10%; ~70 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including summer, winter, spring, and fall
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school, undergraduate, and gap year students who can work for 5–10 hours/week for 8 weeks
You explore core topics like marketing strategy, competitive analysis, and finance while working on real-world deliverables. Depending on your placement, projects may involve market analysis or strategy development. The eight-week timeline includes meetings with a company coach and a final project presentation to the company. Uniquely, the program offers a dual-mentorship structure, providing every student with guidance from both a startup manager and a dedicated Ladder Coach. Apply now!
Who is it best for: Students who want remote, project-based experience at a startup in fields like finance, fintech, or consulting, and who want to present their deliverables to company leadership with coaching along the way.
3. EMW LAW LLC – Fall 2026 Internship Program
Location: Downtown Birmingham, Alabama
Stipend: Not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: Fall
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school freshmen through seniors or college freshmen through seniors
You'll support a personal injury, estate planning, and probate law firm with office organization and file management, scanning and uploading documents, administrative tasks, client intake preparation, and supervised special projects. The firm describes the internship as an educational opportunity to see how a law firm operates day-to-day.
Who is it best for: Students who want an up-close look at the daily operations and client-facing administrative side of a law firm while building practical office and organizational skills.
4. Birmingham Promise Internship Program
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Stipend: $15 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: Fall and spring semesters of senior year; semester or full-year placements
Application Deadline: February 1
Eligibility: Birmingham City Schools students applying as juniors for senior-year internships; minimum 2.0 GPA; eligible for co-op; school counselor approval
After resume support, training, and interviews, you'll be matched with a local Birmingham employer; past hosts have included banks, law firms, utilities, tech firms, and public relations firms. Past business-related roles have included screening candidates and supporting recruitment events on UAB's HR talent acquisition team, as well as producing financial literacy content at IMC Financial.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, real-world workplace experience at a Birmingham business, in areas from finance and HR to law and public relations, while building local professional connections.
5. Jones Valley Teaching Farm High School Internship
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; ~10 high school interns
Dates: Academic-year internship
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors; attending Birmingham City Schools
You work at Jones Valley Teaching Farm's downtown or Woodlawn farm stands, harvesting crops and serving neighborhood customers who come for fresh produce. Along with the paid work, you get experiences shaped around your interests, such as college tours, job shadowing, culinary sessions, civic engagement, and meetings with local representatives. Running a customer-facing produce stand shows you how a community food outlet serves its neighborhood.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on experience harvesting produce and serving community members at farm stands while exploring food access, agriculture, and possible career or college paths.
6. Alabama Power Internship Program
Location: Selma, Alabama
Stipend: $12 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not stated
Dates: One semester
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Selma High School seniors; a high school transcript and recommendation letter from a teacher, business owner, or adult with an occupational role must accompany the application; parent/guardian signature required
You work an average of 15 paid hours a week at worksites across Edmundite Missions' operations in Selma, alongside academic support and training in workforce participation. The program covers leadership, critical thinking, creativity, decision-making, communication, time management, and conflict resolution, and its stated aims include spreading basic business and marketing skills to people who want to start micro businesses.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on work experience at a community nonprofit while building workplace communication, leadership, and basic business and marketing skills.
7. YES 251 (Youth Empowered for Success)
Location: Mobile, Alabama
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 100 interns
Dates: Summer: June–July
Application Deadline: March 6
Eligibility: Students aged 16–24
You work in a paid summer placement in a City of Mobile department, in Parks and Recreation, or at a local organization, placed after an interview based on open positions, your interests, and the host's needs. Since the program’s launch, it has connected more than 4,000 young people in the Mobile area to paid internships. In past cycles, hosts have ranged from large companies to small businesses and nonprofits.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on work experience with local government or Mobile-area employers, plus a first look at how organizations and businesses operate day-to-day.
8. Shelby County Career Technical Education Center – Opportunities
Location: Columbiana, Alabama
Cost/Stipend: $15–$25 per year, varying by program / Stipend paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; about 350 students
Dates: School year: August 13–May 27
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Grades 10–12; enrolled at a Shelby County Schools high school; Health Science: not open to rising 10th graders, A–C grades expected in Algebra, Biology, and Physical Science/Chemistry; regular attendance mandatory; 100% score required on mandatory safety test
You train at CTEC in one of 12 career-technical programs, such as Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Healthcare Science, Robotics and Automated Manufacturing, and Welding, working in hands-on labs and preparing for industry credentials like ServSafe. If you enter Health Science, you can complete an internship with one of the center's partner healthcare organizations during the school year. Culinary coursework reinforces entrepreneurship, and employer visits cover apprenticeships and work-and-study paths, which can help you develop workplace and customer-facing skills.
Who is it best for: Students who want hands-on career-technical training and workplace exposure, especially in hospitality or healthcare, rather than a dedicated business internship.
If you live outside Columbiana or want to commute every day, consider Ladder Internships that pair you with startups to work on real projects in a fully virtual format.
9. Retirement Systems of Alabama Internship Program – Clerical Aide
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Stipend: $806.90 semi-monthly (Clerical Aide)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; limited positions
Dates: Early June to mid-August; may extend up to 104 business days if business need exists
Application Deadline: March 1
Eligibility: Current high school students or high school graduates enrolled in college or trade school; under age 25
As a Clerical Aide, you support office operations at the Retirement Systems of Alabama by scanning, emailing, typing, filing, and copying documents, preparing member information packets, and updating tenant information for RSA facilities. This is a full-time, paid summer role in which RSA assigns duties related to your field of study where possible. Working a standard business-day schedule in professional business attire can help you develop organization, records-management, and workplace communication skills.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on experience in a professional office and want to learn how administrative and records work supports a large state retirement agency.
10. City of Birmingham Department of Youth Services – Kids & Jobs — Executive/Exposure Program
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Stipend: $11–$14 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not stated
Dates: June 8–July 10
Application Deadline: April 17
Eligibility: Birmingham residents within city limits; minimum 2.0 GPA; at least 14 and not over 24 by June 8; Executive component ages 16–24, Exposure component ages 14–15
The Executive component gives you a paid summer job in the career path you choose, and the Exposure component places younger teens with public and nonprofit employers for a first workplace experience. The City of Birmingham Department of Youth Services and WBRC 6 News have run this summer jobs partnership for over 30 years. In recent cohorts, host employers included We Do Taxes, a local small business whose CEO said interns gain customer-service and professional-development experience.
Who is it best for: Students who want a paid summer role in a career field they choose, such as business, and a chance to build customer-service and workplace skills with a mentoring employer.
11. Mobile County Public Schools – MCPSS Summer Internship Program
Location: Mobile County, Alabama
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; ~302 students
Dates: Summer; individual employer placements can have different schedules and durations
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Current MCPSS high school juniors or seniors
You work a paid summer placement with a Mobile-area employer, in business roles such as audit, general accounting, human resources, communications, and retail internships. You also participate in community mock interviews, employer interviews, a business training seminar, and work with an assigned mentor to build interview, workplace communication, and professional skills.
Who is it best for: Students who want paid, hands-on exposure to office functions like accounting, HR, or communications while testing possible career paths close to home.
Can a business internship help with your college applications?
A business internship can give you specific experiences to reflect on when explaining your academic interests. Analyzing information or supporting office operations may help you connect an interest in business with practical responsibilities. Describe what you contributed, what challenged your assumptions, and what you want to study further.
How do you apply for a business internship?
Start with each program’s official instructions for eligibility, deadlines, and requested materials. Prepare examples of business interest, such as managing a club budget, helping customers, or investigating a market question. Allow time to gather required documents and prepare for interviews, as application processes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I explore business through a law firm or a community organization?
Yes, the list includes law-firm administration alongside community-based work involving farm stands and nonprofit operations. These settings offer business-related exposure through how services are organized and delivered, even when the organization’s main purpose is legal support or community service.
2. Would I launch my own company during these programs?
The entries describe contributing to existing employers or completing career-technical training, not launching your own company. Entrepreneurship appears in culinary coursework and microbusiness-oriented training, offering ways to explore that interest alongside practical workplace experience.
3. How does pay differ between the options?
Paid options include hourly wages, a stipend conditional on successful completion, and semi-monthly compensation. Some entries leave payment amounts unspecified, while others involve participation fees. If you’re exploring a fee-based startup experience, Ladder Internships offers financial aid.
4. Can a placement last for a semester or a full school year?
Yes, the list includes one-semester work placements, semester or full-year employer placements, and an academic-year farm internship. These offer term-time options alongside summer placements, with schedules ranging from fixed program dates to arrangements set by individual employers.