Undergraduate Student Internships

Build a Diverse Local Pipeline

Host a Business, Computing, and/or Engineering Intern at No Cost to Your Company

San Diego Regional EDC logo
Imperial Valleyl EDC logo

Undergraduate College Student Internship Program

The Need

Only 6% of Californians have participated in a paid internship, and only 15% participated in an internship at all. Women (4%), Black (5%), Latino (4%) and Native American (0%) students were less likely than their peers to complete a paid internship, as were first-generation learners (4%). –Inside Higher Ed, October 28, 2024

Need more skilled employees? Our students need experience! Let us help you source talent from local San Diego and Imperial County colleges. Support regional efforts to build a diverse local talent pipelines in business, computing and engineering sectors.

Interested in Hosting a College Student Intern?

San Diego

The San Diego Regional EDC will be continuing the Advancing San Diego (ASD) internships in Summer 2026. To learn more, click HERE

Imperial
The Imperial Valley EDC will be continuing the internship program on a rolling basis. To learn more, click HERE

College Students are Recruited from Verified Programs

Local college students enrolled in these Verified Programs from Community Colleges, California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), San Diego State University (SDSU), or University of California San Diego (UCSD) are eligible to apply for an internship in Summer 2025.
What does it mean to be a Verified Program? Find out here.

2025 VP College Cluster logos

What are your student candidates learning in the classroom? Learn more about the verified programs at the colleges that your student candidates are enrolled in.

Do you have positions that we couldn’t support this year?
There are also college contacts listed so you can reach out to fill them.

Examples of Student Intern Positions

Business

  • Business Administration (includes accounting, finance, HR)
  • Business Operations (includes general front/back office, customer service)
  • Marketing & Communications

Computing

  • IT Support Technician / Desktop Support Technician
  • Network and Systems Administrator
  • Software Developer / Software Engineering
  • Cybersecurity Analyst / Information Systems Analyst

Engineering

  • Assembler
  • Engineering Technician
  • General Engineering

Program Contacts

Bridgette Coleman
Program Manager, Talent Initiatives, San Diego Regional EDC

Alma Silva
Chief Operating Officer, Imperial Regional Alliance, Imperial Valley Business Resource Center

Resources from Last Year

Work Site Internship Program Flyer

Work Site Agreement Template – this agreement must be signed by the work site, the student, and the Employer of Record (Manpower)

Work Site location reference map (view to help identify where you’re located. When applying for jobs, students will select work site locations in North SD County, Central, East, South, and Imperial County)

Job Description Templates:

Offer Letter Templates:
LinkedIn Offer Letter 
Basic Offer Letter 
Sample Internship Offer Letter
How to Write an Offer Letter

Special Hiring Criteria – Work sites will be asked to manage and cover the cost of all special hiring criteria requirements. This includes LiveScan, background check, drug screen, etc. The Work Site is required to provide pass/fail results to the K-16 Team before the student intern may start work at the work site. Please keep in mind, if a student is required to complete a LiveScan, background check and/or drug screen, it can take up to 2 weeks to receive the results.