View Employer Flyer | View Employer FAQ

What Are We Looking For?

Opportunities to support youth and young adults in their career journey by providing in-demand internship opportunities. Per our participant data, youth are looking for employment opportunities and experiences in some of the following career fields:

• Health Care
• Technology Industry
• Business Administration
• S.T.E.M.
• Real Estate
• Creative Arts

Ways to Get Involved

Host an Intern

1. 1. Submit An Interest Form via the Interest Form link. This will alert the SYEP Employer Engagement team of your interest and will initiate the application process.
   2. Register a user account in our Employer Portal. Once we receive your interest form, one of our staffers will send you a personal invitation to our Employer Portal, where you can create an account allowing you to apply to host interns.
   3. Submit a completed application through the Employer Portal and upload any required documentation supporting your completed application by March 13. 

After Submitting an Application 

The Employer Engagement team will review applications for completion. If we require any additional information, we will reach out before our application deadline. Once the deadline has passed, we will begin our matching process in early May with the prospective interns.

By mid-May, we will reach out to all prospective employer sites regarding their application status. Those who receive an intern will be able to then check in the Employer Portal (using your User Account login) and indicate how many youth have been placed and their contact information. If you have been selected to host an intern, you will follow the steps below for Internship Readiness.

Internship Readiness Steps:

1. Complete, sign, and submit the Agency Agreement Contract, Supervisor Agreement, and Background Check all via our Adobe Sign webforms provided to you in the Next Steps e-mail.
2. Participate in a site visit where one of our dedicated staff members will review your completed, signed paperwork, go over logistics, and preview the space interns will be occupying.
3. Plan and share the work plan you envision for the intern(s). You can submit your workplan or first week plenary with your assigned SYEP staff member.
4. Attend all required site supervisor trainings hosted by the SYEP program team.

Please note, as much as we would like to host every interested employer, we cannot guarantee placement of interns at every site due to intern onboarding completion, intern removal or dropping from program, and/or a limited number of interns or interest in a particular internship.

Facilitate as a Subject Matter Expert

If you have an area of expertise that you would like to share with our program participants, we offer a Learn and Earn program during the fall to springtime during which we facilitate weekly workshops on career and job skill development. Some examples of workshops facilitated in previous cohort years and are of interest to our participants are:

• Entrepreneurship
• Financial Literacy
• Imposter Syndrome
• “A Day in the Life” (in a specific role)
• Healthy Relationships
• Code Switching
• Interviewing

If there are any other ways you would like to support SYEP youth (e.g., mentorship, job shadowing), please reach out to our engagement team via e-mail: syepemprelations@seattle.gov.

Program Flyer

What is the Internship Program?

• Land a 6-8 week paid internship that matches your skills, career interests, and availability
• Receive pre-employment training and work experience to aid in your professional growth and career exploration
• Get professional support from a trusted mentor throughout the program
• Gain practical experience to build your resume and potential connections to advance your career or education
• Interns will be paid $21.30 per hour, unless otherwise communicated by the assigned employer.
• Seattle Public Schools students may qualify for 0.5 Career and Technical Education (CTE) credit through Seattle Public Schools. 

Applying for the internship

• Create an account and complete the online application. (Review the help guide for assistance.)
• SYEP staff will review submitted applications within a week of their receipt, and applicants will be notified via email of eligibility or if they are missing eligibility documents. (Review eligibility requirements below.) 
• By Monday, May 18, applicants will be notified via email if they were accepted into the program and the next steps in the placement process.
• 250 youth and young adults, ages 16 to 24, will be selected by lottery to participate.
• Those selected will participate in in-person, virtual, or hybrid (depending on the needs of the employer) career-readiness learning activities before the internship start date.
• SYEP staff will work with participants to find an internship placement that meets their interests. Internships will be between six and eight weeks with City departments, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), or Private Sector employers.
• Applicants should check their email regularly for important communication and updates. Failure to do so may risk opportunity to participate in the placement process and program. 

Click Here to View Program Flyer | Program Chart

What is Learn and Earn: Pathways?

SYEP offers Pathways for those who have a career sector already in mind. Career Pathways is an intensive, intermediate-advanced level training program where participants receive technical training in their chosen career track and are provided support from dedicated staff members to prepare them for entry-level professional internship/job experience(s).

Participants within this program also receive job readiness skills training and workshops from subject matter experts, and are provided opportunities to job shadow and interview professionals within their chosen career field. Participants can participate in the program and earn a monthly stipend to help support them while studying.

Program Duration:

Up to four months, depending on career path.

Requirements and Eligibility:

• Meet all SYEP standard application eligibility requirements
• Have interest in an available career path:
  • Entrepreneurship – starting your own business;  
  • Software Development – making apps, websites or computer programs; or
  • Urban Planning & Transportation Justice – creating safe, easy ways to get around the neighborhood
• Eager to learn and engage with program material and staff  
• Have successfully completed SYEP Foundations OR pass the Assessment of Skill 

Apply by Thursday, January 15, 2026

To get started: 

1. Download the help guide to create an account and for detailed instructions to submit an application.  
2. Create an account and complete the online application.    

Program Flyer 

What is Learn and Earn: Career Foundations?

SYEP offers Career Foundations for those who are new to the workforce world and for those in need of key industry soft skills development to become competitive candidates for any position they apply for.

Participants within this program receive job readiness skills training and career planning workshops from dedicated, trained staff while receiving 1:1 intensive support to help with personal and professional development. Participants can participate in the program and earn a monthly stipend to help support them while studying.

Program Information:

Stipends of $325 are paid at the end of each module. In order to qualify for the stipend, the participant will need to meet all stipend requirements, which include attending a certain number of classes within the module and completing all required assessments and assignments.

Stipends are paid via check through our Finance Department. The availability of the check will be communicated by program staff prior to check disbursements.

Program Duration:

6 months, 2-hour weekly sessions

Cohort-based classes are led weekly by an assigned Youth Development Counselor and run approximately two hours per week. At the start of the program, applicants will select the day that works best for them. 

Class Information:

Examples of class topics that will be offered include:

• Team Building and Collaboration 
• Effective Communication  
• Elevator Pitch & Professional Email Etiquette 
• Resumes & Cover Letters 
• Networking & LinkedIn 
• Financial Literacy: Money Mindset 

We also offer opportunities for participants to receive real-time training from industry professionals in the form of workshops and field trips during the duration of the program. 

Foundations Program Requirements and Eligibility:

• Meet all SYEP standard application eligibility requirements
• Have not previously participated in Learn and Earn: Foundations 
• Eager to learn and engage with program material and staff