If you’re a high school student looking to explore different fields before choosing a college major, participating in an internship can help you do that. Internships give you real-world experience, allow you to develop practical skills, and help your college applications stand out. You’ll also get to meet professionals, learn how workplaces function, and gain confidence in a more structured environment than a typical classroom. Whether you’re interested in healthcare, business, technology, law, or the arts, internships can help you understand what a field is really like before you commit to it.
Why should you choose Nevada as a high schooler?
Nevada is a great place to look for internships as it offers opportunities in a wide range of fields. Schools like the University of Nevada, Reno, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas offer several academic programs and research opportunities for high school students. Beyond universities, Nevada has growing industries in tech, healthcare, hospitality, and government. You can find opportunities with local nonprofits, hospitals, startups, community organizations, and even media outlets. This mix of options makes it easier for you to explore your interests close to home while gaining practical experience.
With that, here are 15 internships for high school students in Nevada worth exploring.
If you’re looking for opportunities in Las Vegas, you can find them here. You can also check out programs for high school students in Nevada here.
15 Internships for High School Students in Nevada
1. CSN Ambassadors of Astronomy Internship Program
Location: Dale Etheridge Planetarium, Las Vegas, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: Limited spots are available
Dates: 3-6 months, with the option to extend
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school seniors and college students
The Ambassadors of Astronomy internship, offered by the Dale Etheridge Planetarium at the College of Southern Nevada, provides you with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in astronomy. As a participant, you’ll work in a supportive, real-world setting where you’ll develop professional skills. You’ll also receive detailed training from planetarium staff and other professionals on how to operate the planetarium and astronomy equipment. Aside from this, you’ll assist with lectures, help with public astronomy presentations, and practice public speaking and informal education. The program will provide you with practical experience in public astronomy education and opportunities to connect with mentors.
2. Clark County Information Technology Internship Program
Location: Clark County Government Center, Las Vegas, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: May 26 – July 30 (high school students)
Application Deadline: March 2 – 26
Eligibility: High school and college students who are eligible to work in the U.S.
With Clark County Information Technology, you’ll join an internship built around your academic and career goals. The program will help you explore careers, develop skills, and gain real-world experience while supporting the department’s mission. High school internships last 6-17 weeks and total 260 hours. To get started, you must submit your cover letter and resume. In your letter, you can share your area of interest. If you are a strong match, an internship coordinator will contact you to schedule an interview. Based on your cover letter, you’ll be matched with a role that fits your interests. If selected, you’ll work with professionals in areas like development, quality assurance, analysis, project management, data centers, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, infrastructure, field support, help desk, and leadership. You’ll also connect with mentors, learn how they work, and get a clearer sense of possible career paths.
3. AFRL Scholars Program
Location: Multiple locations across the United States, including AFWERX, Las Vegas, NV
Stipend: Paid weekly stipends
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: Varies by internship or cohort
Application Deadline: October 10 – January 10
Eligibility: U.S. upper-level high school students (16+) with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale
The AFRL Scholars Program offers paid internships for upper-level high school students to work with AFRL scientists and engineers on advanced research projects. You’ll get hands-on experience, lab tours, mentorship, and the chance to participate in real research and technology development. Recent projects include Advanced Methods of Photon Collection and Interpretation, aero-optics research, the Assured Spacecraft Autonomy Project, Cold Atom Experimental Control and Data Acquisition, computational methods and algorithms for image analysis, the Local Intelligent Networked Collaborative Satellites Lab, and Machine Learning Reliability Studies. Most projects focus on aerospace engineering, but some also involve AI and machine learning. You can explore different opportunities available for high school students here.
4. DISCOVERY Children’s Museum: YouthWorks Internship
Location: Donald W. Reynolds Discovery Center, Las Vegas, NV
Stipend: Paid
Cohort Size: Limited positions are available
Dates: Year-round opportunities available
Application Deadline: Accepts new applications year-round
Eligibility: Current high school students aged 15-17 who have completed volunteer training in all eight museum galleries and are active volunteers in good standing
YouthWorks is an inclusive internship program that allows you to gain hands-on work experience, boost your education, and earn community service hours that count toward school credit and college applications. In a museum setting, you’ll receive career guidance, job readiness training, and life skills support. You’ll start by volunteering in the eight main galleries, where you’ll work with staff to explain exhibits to visitors and help create a safe, educational space for children. You’ll rotate through different departments to learn how a professional nonprofit operates. You’ll learn the museum’s policies, procedures, and mission while completing job tasks with staff. The program also offers opportunities for youth with disabilities and gives you practical experience as you begin exploring the professional world.
5. Renown’s Spring Break High School Volunteer Program
Location: Renown Regional Medical Center, Reno, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: March 23 – April 3
Application Deadline: February 20
Eligibility: High school students in grades 9-12
Renown’s Spring Break High School Volunteer Program allows upi to support patients and the community at Renown Regional Medical Center. This is not a job shadowing program; you’ll help patients, visitors, and staff by greeting and escorting guests, assisting at welcome desks, running errands, delivering mail and flowers, and supporting nursing units, the Emergency Room, and other departments with basic tasks. You may also visit patients, drop off books, cards, magazines, and puzzles, and take part in the Pet Therapy Program. You’ll gain hands-on exposure to the healthcare environment, develop communication and customer service skills, strengthen critical thinking and leadership, work as part of a team, and add meaningful experience to your resume and college applications.
6. James Lanthrop and Wayne Capurro Memorial Internship
Location: Nevada Department of Wildlife, Reno, NV
Stipend: Starting at about $16.85/hour; Paid bi-weekly
Acceptance Rate: Highly competitive
Dates: Internships begin in June and last for one year.
Application Deadline: February 6
Eligibility: Graduating Nevada high school seniors (16+) with a minimum 2.50 GPA; Applicants must plan to pursue an undergraduate degree in wildlife management, ecology, biology, or a related field
The James Lathrop and Wayne Capurro Memorial Internship gives you a paid opportunity to support your college education while preparing for a career in wildlife management. As an intern, you’ll become a seasonal employee with the Nevada Department of Wildlife and receive hands-on training that will help you develop practical skills for your studies and future career. This involves physically demanding fieldwork; you’ll hike, camp, and work in remote areas across the state. Your tasks may include moving building materials, conducting wildlife surveys, helping build water tanks and other wildlife structures, and tracking animals using radio telemetry. You may camp or work alone, drive in mountainous terrain, and operate manual transmission and Four Wheel Drive vehicles on rough roads. You should be ready to change a flat tire, install tire chains, and relocate each summer, sometimes living alone in a camp trailer in rural areas.
7. Medical Explorer Program at Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center
Location: Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center, Las Vegas, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: 25 students
Dates: Flexible; Students must complete 12 volunteer hours each month during the school year and 8 hours per week in the summer
Application Deadline: March 2 – April 3 (summer); September 7 – October 12 (fall)
Eligibility: High school students aged 15-17
The Medical Explorer Program is for high school students interested in learning about healthcare careers. Whether you have a career in mind or are just exploring, you’ll get to learn about different roles, do hands-on activities, and meet healthcare professionals. You must complete 12 volunteer hours per month during the school year and 8 hours per week in the summer, attend at least 75 percent of post activities, and participate in one hospital service project and at least one community outreach event, such as youth education events, health fairs, or blood drives. Post-activity tasks may include IV prep and start IVs, IO drills, lab cultures, medication draws, tourniquet use, and tours of an ambulance base and helipad. You are required to complete at least one 4-hour shift per week and 100 total volunteer hours.
8. KUNR Public Radio’s Youth Media Program
Location: Washoe County School District schools, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: January – May (Spring); September – December (Fall)
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the host school and the session
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who attend a WCSD high school
KUNR Public Radio’s Youth Media Program is for local high school juniors and seniors. During the fall and spring semesters, you’ll take part in a class at a Washoe County School District high school, where a WCSD educator and the program coordinator will mentor you. You’ll learn broadcast, radio, and media production as well as work with journalists to pitch, voice, write, and edit audio stories that reflect your community. You’ll create stories at KUNR, present a final project, and may have your work aired on KUNR and published on KUNR.org after review by the Managing Editor to meet media standards. You’ll also tour KUNR’s studios and the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, and record broadcasts using industry equipment. Throughout the semester, the Youth Media Coordinator will guide you in audio journalism skills and professional practices. You can find more information here.
9. Clark County Summer Business Institute (SBI)
Location: Clark County, Las Vegas, NV
Stipend: $12 per hour
Cohort Size: Maximum 300 applicants
Dates: June 8 – July 29
Application Deadline: January 13 – February 12
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors (16+) with a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
Clark County, Nevada, offers the Summer Business Institute, a paid summer internship program for high school students that introduces them to different career paths. You can intern in areas like law, business administration, education, information technology, recreation, engineering, and communications. You’ll work up to 24 hours per week in 8-hour shifts from Monday to Wednesday. On Thursdays, you’ll attend seminars and workshops on financial management and life skills and participate in hands-on activities. You’ll receive on-the-job training and mentorship in a professional setting. Your duties depend on your placement and work location. Some roles may involve lifting heavy materials or working outdoors in high summer temperatures. The program concludes with a graduation ceremony recognizing top performers.
10. Northern Nevada International Center (NNIC) Internship Program
Location: Northern Nevada International Center, Reno, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Cohorts in the spring, summer, and fall semesters; Spring and fall internships run for about 3 months, while summer internships last about 2 months
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the session; Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Young adults in the Reno-Tahoe area with strong written and verbal communication skills and experience using Microsoft 365 tools like Excel, Word, and Outlook, as well as digital design platforms such as Canva
The Northern Nevada International Center offers internships for young adults in the Reno-Tahoe area to prepare the next generation of citizen diplomats. An internship here will allow you to develop professional and personal skills while learning how your work directly impacts results. These internships are unpaid but can count for course credit. They can also lead to part-time or full-time roles at NNIC. Start and end dates are slightly adjusted around the academic calendar to fit your schedule. You’ll work with one of four teams, including Administrative, International Exchanges, Refugee Reception and Placement, or Language Bank. Responsibilities depend on the team, but you’ll gain hands-on experience and strengthen your skills. Current openings include Exchanges Intern, Language Bank Intern, Admin Intern, Reception and Placement Intern, and Social Media Intern.
11. Volunteer Opportunities at Family Respite Care of Nevada
Location: Family Respite Care of Nevada, Reno, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round opportunities available
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; Application here
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12, college students, and community volunteers
The Family Respite Care of Nevada offers volunteer opportunities where you’ll work with Respite Providers to give families a break from caring for their children and young adults. You’ll be supervised while providing care, comfort, and engagement to children, teens, and young adults with disabilities. Your support will give parents and guardians time to rest from daily caregiving. You’ll gain hands-on experience, develop college and career skills, and receive letters of recommendation and resume support. You’ll meet staff and other volunteers, learn about the organization’s mission and values, join training sessions on working with youth, and take a guided tour of the center.
12. YES Tourism and Hospitality Program at UNLV
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Limited spots are available
Dates: June 2 – 27
Application Deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: Las Vegas high school students with a family income of $60,000 or less; Must be attending a Title 1 school or be first-generation college-bound
The Young Executive Scholars Tourism and Hospitality Program is a four-week summer program for under-resourced high school students in the Clark County School District. It is a college-level experience with classes and workshops Monday through Thursday, along with weekly field trips. You’ll work in teams to design an integrated resort of the future. You’ll complete assignments for a final group project and remain actively involved as a teammate. During the program, you’ll explore careers in tourism and hospitality, meet CEOs and other industry leaders, and tour Las Vegas resorts with experts. You’ll develop leadership skills, strengthen your resume or college application, explore the UNLV campus, connect with new peers, and may have the chance to earn scholarships for college.
13. Washoe County School Police Jr. Cadets
Location: Washoe County School District schools, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: Year-round program
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions; Application here
Eligibility: High school students enrolled in the Washoe County School District with a minimum 2.0 GPA
The Washoe County School Police Jr. Cadet Class is open to high school students enrolled in the Washoe County School District. In this course, you’ll learn about law enforcement while earning high school credit. If you complete the course each semester, you’ll earn 0.5 credits, for a total of 2 credits over two years. Topics include the history of law enforcement, traffic stops, case law, radio communication, building searches, and drug laws. While enrolled, you must complete 10 hours of community service each semester through School Police events. You’ll need a clean criminal record and must finish the required community service hours each semester. This class will help you explore a career in policing and develop the leadership and interpersonal skills you need for your future. For more information, you can contact Officer Gomez or Sgt. Lorentzen.
14. UNLV Tech Ready Rebels
Location: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Stipend: Paid full or part-time summer internships
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: September 2 – July 31 (tentative)
Application Deadline: August 22 (tentative)
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors enrolled in a Nevada high school who have a minimum 2.0 unweighted GPA and are part of the Information Technology Career Cluster or have completed at least one IT-related course
Tech Ready Rebels is a year-long accelerated program that prepares local students for college or a career in Information Technology. It helps address Nevada’s IT workforce shortage by building in-demand skills and creating stronger pathways for underrepresented minority and female students. You’ll take part in dual enrollment with paid tuition and fees, earn industry-recognized credentials, complete a paid summer internship with IT employers, and follow a personalized learning plan. By the end, you’ll demonstrate the core skills in the National IT Competency Model and receive a guaranteed job interview. You’ll join a UNLV college tour, visit the Las Vegas Valley Water District, and job-shadow with Codingscape. You’ll also connect with the Codingscape team at the Las Vegas Technology Innovation Center, attend the Southern Nevada STEM Convening, and learn about the Las Vegas Valley Water District Department of Cybersecurity.
15. UNLV Cyber Clinic Junior Member Program
Location: Online and in person at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: Around 30 students
Dates: Not specified
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students in ninth grade or higher
The UNLV Cyber Clinic Junior Member Department provides you with a free introduction to cybersecurity, related careers, and general college topics. You’ll take part in weekly online workshops based on your interests and learn skills beyond the classroom before you graduate. Topics can include OSINT, social engineering, and red, blue, and purple teaming. The program also hosts in-house competitions to test your skills and prepare you for tougher challenges. As a junior member, you’ll join meetings, work on Cyber Clinic projects, follow training plans, and prepare for certifications. Earning entry-level cybersecurity certifications builds credibility for you and the clinic when using the CARE method to support small businesses. After you earn a preliminary certification, you can help the community, work with clients, and handle tasks similar to those of a cybersecurity professional. This gives you real-world experience and can lead to internships or jobs through the clinic’s industry partners, who also offer mentoring opportunities.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – College of Southern Nevada