8 Consulting Internships for High School Students in California
High school internships provide the chance to gain work experience, enhance your resume, and develop practical skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. By engaging in work environments, you will gain insight into how businesses operate, explore your interests, and build confidence in professional settings. For college admissions officers and future employers, internships signal initiative, responsibility, and readiness for more advanced challenges.
Why choose a consulting internship in California?
If you’re drawn to business and consulting, internships offer a way to explore areas such as strategy, marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and operations. California’s diverse economy, ranging from tech and startups to healthcare, finance, and sustainable industries, has many opportunities for high schoolers.
To help you navigate these options, we’ve curated a list of 8 business and consulting internships for high school students in California. Each program provides mentorship, industry exposure, and professional development.
1. Meta Summer Academy
Location: META, Menlo Park, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: 6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: December 1 – February 14
Eligibility: High school sophomores with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0; Must reside in East Palo Alto, Belle Haven, North Fair Oaks, or Redwood City
Meta Summer Academy (MSA) is a competitive, paid summer program designed to introduce you to the world of technology and computer science. As a participant, you will receive hands-on training in coding, problem-solving, and professional development while learning directly from Meta employees. The program emphasizes career exploration, mentorship, and exposure to tech environments. You will also get to build collaboration and communication skills while gaining insight into pathways in the tech industry and higher education.
2. Ladder Internships
Location: Online
Cost: Varies; Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: 10-25%; 70-100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Ladder Internships offers remote, project-based business internships designed for high school students interested in real-world professional experience. It matches you with startups or organizations, where you will work on structured business projects in areas such as market research, strategy, operations, and marketing. As a participant, you’ll receive mentorship from industry professionals and participate in regular check-ins to track progress. The program emphasizes independent work, accountability, and professional communication. You’ll also complete a final deliverable or presentation summarizing your work. Apply now!
3. Enterprise for High School Students (EHSS): Fall Internship & Career Program
Location: Various locations in San Francisco, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Fall and school-year (ongoing)
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students in San Francisco and the Bay Area
The Enterprise for High School Students (EHSS) program allows you to explore different career options, develop job skills, and identify work opportunities during the school year. As a participant, you’ll get support with job training, résumé building, and interview prep, and you can apply for internships or part-time jobs through EHSS’s community partners. This program is good if you want hands-on experience, to earn work hours during the fall, or guidance as you begin your career journey. You’ll work closely with mentors who help you grow, build confidence, and learn what it’s really like to work in different fields.
4. KP Launch Program
Location: Northern California (Kaiser Permanente headquarters, hospitals, and medical offices)
Stipend: $24 per hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: November 17 – January 9
Eligibility: High school students (ages 16-19)
KP LAUNCH is a paid internship program by Kaiser Permanente designed to introduce young adults to careers in health care. As an intern, you’ll work alongside healthcare professionals and leaders on meaningful, real-world projects in a supportive environment. The program focuses on building professional, leadership, and community skills while exposing you to non-clinical roles in health systems, like consulting, administration, HR, and more. You will gain practical job experience, expand your professional networks, and explore pathways to higher education and long-term careers in health care.
5. The Reach Honorship Program by Warner Bros.
Location: Warner Bros. Discovery, Los Angeles County or Burbank, CA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Program Dates: Summer following high school graduation
Application Deadline: Not publicly listed
Eligibility: Graduating high school seniors
The Reach Honorship Program by Warner Bros. Discovery offers you an immersive internship-scholarship experience in the media and entertainment industry. As a participant, you will explore careers across corporate, studio, technical, and creative functions such as finance, marketing, content development, post-production, and games. Honorship recipients also gain hands-on exposure to real-world projects while learning from industry professionals. The program is designed to support early career exploration, professional growth, and access to opportunities in entertainment and media business pathways.
6. Olivia Mitchell LA City Youth Council
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Stipend: Paid
Cohort Size: 30 students selected citywide
Program Dates: 1-year term
Application Deadline: Not specified (application currently open via City of Los Angeles portal)
Eligibility: Youth from across the City of Los Angeles
The Olivia Mitchell LA City Youth Council is a prestigious, year-long civic leadership opportunity for young Angelenos. As a council member, you will learn how local government functions while working on community projects, civic events, and policy recommendations. You will collaborate with elected officials and city leaders to influence youth-focused policies and budgets. The program emphasizes equity, inclusion, and youth-led leadership. You will also gain professional development, civic confidence, and direct experience shaping the future of Los Angeles.
7. SparkCampus Internship Program
Location: Online
Stipend: Paid (performance-based)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not publicly disclosed
Program Dates: Multiple terms in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by term
Eligibility: High school students (no prior experience required)
The SparkCampus Internship introduces you to consulting through real-world business development and client strategy projects. As an intern, you will analyze customer needs, pitch solutions, negotiate deals, and apply marketing and sales frameworks to live accounts. Through workshops and hands-on execution, you will strengthen communication, persuasion, and data-driven decision-making skills. The program emphasizes teamwork, problem-solving, and results-oriented thinking. This experience closely reflects entry-level consulting work in sales strategy and growth consulting.
8. BizCamp: Business Ideation and Crafting the Pitch
Location: Flexible (in-class or out-of-school settings)
Cost/Stipend: Not specified (varies by partner organization or school)
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not provided
Program Duration: 20-40 hours (flexible)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
BizCamp by NFTE teaches you the fundamentals of entrepreneurship while developing an entrepreneurial mindset. You will learn to generate business ideas, solve real-world problems, and pitch innovative solutions. The curriculum covers practical tools such as the Lean Business Model Canvas, market research, branding, and finance. You will also complete a Fast Pitch Challenge, presenting your ideas individually or in teams. The program is flexible for both classroom and extracurricular settings.