15 Consulting Internships for High School Students in Florida
If you’re interested in consulting but don’t know where to start, consider an internship!
Doing a consulting internship allows you to step out of the classroom and work on real business challenges, like figuring out what competitors are doing or researching new market trends. Instead of just reading about business, they get to solve actual problems alongside experienced mentors, which builds practical skills that schools often don't teach.
Why is Florida a good place to start for an internship in consulting?
High school students in Florida can gain a strong advantage by pursuing consulting-style internships that tap into the state’s unique mix of international trade, aerospace, and tourism. By working on real business problems, such as conducting market research for a tech startup in Miami or analyzing operational efficiency for major regional employers like Disney, Publix, or Ryder, you move beyond textbook theory to practical decision-making. This landscape is supported by the strong academic presence of institutions like the University of Florida and the University of Miami, which often help bridge the gap between education and industry. Whether at a small boutique firm or a large corporate headquarters, these experiences allow you to build a professional network and learn how to solve complex strategic challenges under the guidance of experienced mentors.
With that in mind, we’ve narrowed this list to the 15 best consulting internships for high school students in Florida.
15 Consulting Internships for High School Students in Florida
1. Hillsborough County RISE Internship
Location: Tampa, FL (Various County Departments)
Stipend: $15/hr
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; typically 20–50 students county-wide
Dates: June 8 – July 31
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Hillsborough County Public School students and residents; minimum 2.0 GPA; 16+
In this program, you operate as a junior public-sector consultant, working within a specific county department, such as Water Resources, Parks & Recreation, or Animal Resources, to solve operational challenges. You are assigned a professional mentor and tasked with real-world assignments that often involve analyzing departmental workflows, assisting with community outreach strategies, or supporting project management efforts. You will investigate how your assigned division functions, identify areas for process improvement, and contribute to the efficiency of local government services. Alongside your casework, you will undergo rigorous professional development training in financial literacy and interviewing, equipping you with the strategic soft skills necessary to advise leadership and navigate complex organizational structures.
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: 10–25% acceptance; 70–100 students per session
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Varies according to the cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September) and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, and gap year students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks
Ladder’s Internships allow you to dive into the world of business strategy by acting as a junior consultant for a high-growth startup. In this program, you will tackle real operational challenges such as conducting deep-dive market research, analyzing competitor landscapes, or devising go-to-market strategies for new products. Throughout the 8 weeks, you will receive mentorship from seasoned founders, often from Y-Combinator or top universities, and a Ladder Coach, who will guide you through professional problem-solving. You will also participate in skill-building workshops that function like a mini-MBA, teaching you essential workplace frameworks. By the end, you will present a finalized strategic recommendation directly to company leadership.
3. Jacksonville Mayor’s Young Leaders Advisory Council (MYLAC)
Location: Jacksonville, FL (Meetings typically held at Goodwill Corporate Campus or City Hall)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 50 students
Dates: September – May
Application Deadline: Typically late August
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors attending a Duval County school; minimum 2.0 GPA
In this role, you function as a junior policy consultant for the City of Jacksonville. Your client is the Mayor and City Council, and you are tasked with advising them on urgent public sector issues, such as mental health resources, community safety, and education reform. You will actively conduct market research by designing and deploying surveys to thousands of peers, analyze the resulting data, and draft formal policy recommendations that can influence actual city statutes. The program also features a Mock City Council session where you simulate the legislative process, teaching you the mechanics of negotiation and governance. By the end, you will have developed public speaking and strategic problem-solving skills.
4. The Children’s Trust Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)
Location: Miami-Dade County, FL (Multiple sites)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically, a large cohort size
Dates: Academic Year (Fall through Spring)
Application Deadline: Spring/Summer (Varies annually)
Eligibility: High school students (Grades 9-12) living in Miami-Dade County
In The Children's Trust Youth Advisory Committee, you act as a civic consultant by advising county leaders on policies that impact youth and families. You will explore topics like leadership, civic engagement, advocacy, and community welfare. As part of your role, you will evaluate community needs, design and execute service-learning projects, host Q&A sessions with Miami-Dade officials, and travel to Tallahassee to lobby during Children's Week. The program's unique feature is that you serve as the official youth voice for a major funding organization, giving your strategic recommendations real weight. Through these experiences, you will learn practical skills in public advocacy, strategic planning, critical thinking, and teamwork.
5. Tallahassee Future Leaders Academy (TFLA)
Location: Tallahassee, Florida (City Departments)
Stipend: Paid hourly, rate not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 150–200 students per year
Dates: June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: Varies (Usually between January and April)
Eligibility: Students aged 14–19; grades 9–12; live in Tallahassee city limits
In this program, you act as an internal consultant for the city by working inside government departments to help solve daily operational problems. You will cover important topics like public service operations, workplace safety, teamwork, and financial literacy. During the week, you will work directly at your assigned city department, attend hands-on professional development workshops, and learn from local guest speakers. A unique feature of this academy is that you become a real city employee for the summer, complete with free access to public buses. By the end, you will learn highly useful skills like clear communication, time management, problem-solving, and basic professionalism.
6. Junior Achievement (JA) Fellows (South Florida)
Location: South Florida (Participating high schools in Broward and South Palm Beach counties)
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 2–5 students
Dates: August through May (Runs for the full academic year)
Application Deadline: Typically August
Eligibility: 9th–12th grade students at participating South Florida high schools
In the JA Fellows program, you basically act as a management consultant for your own startup company. You will cover essential business topics like market research, product development, financial management, and sales strategy. During the year, you will brainstorm a product idea, write a business plan, pitch your concept to local investors in a "Spark Tank" event, and actually sell your product to real customers. A unique feature of this program is that you get to keep the profits you make, giving you a very real taste of the business world. By the end, you will learn practical skills like problem-solving, teamwork, public speaking, and financial planning.
7. Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!)
Location: Boca Raton, FL (In-person at Saint Andrew's School)
Cost/Stipend: Cost is $795/student; need-based scholarships are available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 20–25 students
Dates: October – April
Application Deadline: Typically early to mid-September
Eligibility: All high school students
In this program, you act as the lead consultant for your own startup, navigating the entire lifecycle of building a business. You will master essential topics, including business plan development, market research, financial management, investor pitching, and legal business structures. Throughout the year, you will write a comprehensive business plan, conduct targeted market research for your specific niche, and pitch your strategy to a panel of investors for seed funding. The academy's unique feature is that it requires you to actually launch a legally registered company. Ultimately, you build skills in strategic planning, financial literacy, and public speaking.
8. Building-U High School Internships
Location: Online
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; roughly 20–30 students across all departments
Dates: Year-round, 3 months or longer
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
As a Building-U intern, you act as a consultant by helping a non-profit group plan and build a database of student resources. You focus on topics like marketing, data privacy, website coding, and business growth. During the program, you will review website traffic data, find new business partners, write blog posts, and create social media content. A unique feature of this internship is that high school students make the actual decisions for the organization. By doing this work, you learn basic skills in teamwork, clear communication, problem-solving, and project planning. This gives you a beginner-friendly way to solve real business problems online.
9. High School Internships at CliftonLarsonAllen
Location: Multiple locations across the United States, including Florida
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 60–70 students
Dates: 6–8 weeks, typically from mid-June to August
Application Deadline: Typically early January
Eligibility: Current high school juniors or seniors who are between the ages of 16-18 and authorized to work in the U.S. without the need of an employment visa
CliftonLarsonAllen offers early exposure opportunities for students interested in accounting, advisory, consulting, and professional services, though details for high school–specific internships are limited and vary by location. You’d be exploring a firm known for audit, tax, consulting, and industry-focused advisory work, with teams serving nonprofits, financial services, healthcare, and more. The firm emphasizes relationship-building, communication, and learning through experience, which shapes how students and early-career professionals are supported. Students interested in consulting-adjacent work, like advisory or risk services, would need to monitor current openings and connect with recruiters directly.
10. United Way Miami Youth Institute
Location: Miami, Florida
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 20 students per year
Dates: Year-long program (runs from September through the end of the school year)
Application Deadline: Early September
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors (11th and 12th graders) in Miami-Dade County with a minimum 2.5 GPA
In the United Way Miami Youth Institute, you work like a community consultant to solve real problems in education, financial stability, and health. You will research what your local area needs, create clear service projects, pitch your ideas to city leaders, and travel to put your plans into action. By doing these four activities, you build strong consulting skills such as problem-solving, project management, and public speaking. One unique feature of this program is the chance to travel abroad, such as to the Dominican Republic, to test your ideas in different cultures. Ultimately, you get hands-on experience making business-style plans that actually help people.
11. PAMM Teen Arts Council (PTAC)
Location: Miami, Florida (Pérez Art Museum Miami)
Stipend: Paid, amount not specified
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; up to 7 students
Dates: Year-long (Runs during the academic school year)
Application Deadline: Typically Spring/Summer
Eligibility: High school students living in the Miami area
As a PTAC member, you act as a youth advisor to help PAMM figure out how to better engage teenagers. During the year, you will cover topics such as audience engagement, event planning, and digital marketing. To do this, you will design creative programming, organize museum events for your peers, create social media content, and collaborate directly with museum staff. The program is entirely teen-led, giving you real power to shape the museum's culture while earning a stipend. Through this experience, you build valuable skills in project management, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
12. Emma Bowen Foundation Summer Internship
Location: Various partner locations across the U.S. (including Florida) and Remote
Stipend: Paid, amount not disclosed
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; approximately 150 new and returning fellows annually
Dates: Summer; 8 weeks from May/June – August
Application Deadline: Rolling acceptance
Eligibility: High school seniors planning to attend a four-year U.S. college; at least 18 years old before the internship begins; authorized to work in the U.S
Emma Bowen Foundation’s Business and Innovation tracks offer excellent exposure to the world of consulting and corporate strategy. You will dive into topics like market research, financial planning, project management, and corporate operations. During the program, you will analyze business data, assist with strategic marketing campaigns, shadow business executives, and collaborate on cross-functional team projects. The program features a multi-year structure, allowing you to return to the same partner company every summer to progressively tackle bigger business challenges. Through these hands-on tasks, you will learn essential consulting skills such as problem-solving, professional communication, data analysis, and strategic thinking.
13. EnergyMag Research Internship
Location: Virtual
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; usually ~25 students per session
Dates: Half-time: 2–8 weeks (Summer); Quarter-time: 1–9 months (Year-round)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, seniors; GPA over 3.25; prior honors science or English coursework preferred
As an intern in this program, you will operate much like a junior consultant within the renewable energy and storage sector. You will explore market research and technical analysis, exploring topics such as battery technology, grid infrastructure, and specific renewable energy company profiles. Your core activities will involve conducting in-depth competitor analysis, interviewing industry professionals to gather primary data, and synthesizing complex information into professional-grade market reports. Your final strategic findings are often published directly on the EnergyMag website, providing a public-facing deliverable for your portfolio. By the end of the program, you will have developed professional writing, and data synthesis skills.
14. Interns 4-Good
Location: Virtual
Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; large cohorts
Dates: Year-round opportunities; flexible hours
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9–12
In this program, you will operate as a student consultant for various non-profit organizations, helping them solve operational and creative challenges. You'll tackle topics like digital marketing, graphic design, data management, and web development to improve the efficiency of these organizations. Your activities will include conducting market research for outreach campaigns, designing professional branding materials, and organizing data systems to track donor impact. The program has a skill-based matching system, which pairs your specific talents with a non-profit’s urgent needs, allowing for a highly personalized experience. By the end of your tenure, you will have developed professional communication, project management, and strategic problem-solving skills.
15. High School Internship Program – The Intern Group
Location: Remote and select in-person international destinations
Cost/Stipend: Full program (August to mid-May): $1,990; Full program (Late May – July): $2,490; need-based financial aid and flexible financing options are available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; no fixed cohorts
Dates: Year-round, with summer options available
Application Deadline: Rolling acceptance
Eligibility: High school students 16+; in-person programs require them to be 18+
In this program, you will explore professional consulting by working on real-world business challenges under the mentorship of industry experts. You’ll cover topics like market research, competitor analysis, and business model auditing while helping organizations streamline their daily operations. During your internship, you can expect to conduct industry assessments, vet entrepreneurship incubator programs, and present strategic recommendations to your host company’s leadership team. The program also features the "Career Advancement Training" curriculum, which is modeled after the McKinsey framework for future-of-work readiness. By the end, you’ll have developed critical thinking and system-level reasoning skills.
Image source - Mayor’s Young Leaders Advisory Council logo