We encourage students interested in gaining hands- on experience in the field of transportation to browse the curated list of internships, programs, and events below. We have prioritized listing opportunities designed for high school students but encourage interested applicants to visit the application websites for full program details and eligibility requirements.
Caltrans Volunteer Program
Type of Program: Volunteer
Location: Applicant may specify which Caltrans office they are seeking to join.
Ages: 15+ (with a valid work permit, if applicable)
Application Period: Rolling
The purpose of the Caltrans Volunteer Program is to provide unpaid volunteer opportunities to participants and prepare them for potential employment opportunities at Caltrans. The program is designed to assist individuals with their pursuit of professional development by providing hands-on training with the fundamental concepts, knowledge, and techniques of various occupational work groups. Volunteers must be over the age of 15 (with a valid work permit, if applicable).
Information from applications is added to an active database to be used by supervisors and district personnel to review candidates’ skills and abilities, education, and geographic preference during the selection process.
Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) Student Employment Program
Type of Program: Full- time or part-time employment
Location: Hawaii. Opportunities available across all the Islands
Ages: 16+
Application Period: Rolling
HDOT’s Student Employment Program is designed for high school and college students seeking to be introduced to career opportunities and gain practical work experience in transportation- related fields. The program offers opportunities across all the islands, allows students to network with professionals in the field, and helps students gain valuable work experience.
LA Metro Transportation Career Academy Program
Type of Program: Summer Internship (stipend provided upon program completion)
Location: Los Angeles
Ages: Current high school juniors or seniors between ages 16-18
Application Period: 02/10/2025- 03/14/2025. Check back February 2026.
TCAP provides summer internship opportunities to current junior and seniors (class of 2025 and 2026), who depend on transit, reside in LA County, live in close proximity of a Metro rail station and whose schools are located near Metro’s rail expansion efforts. This program offers students an opportunity to learn about careers in transportation and how to apply classroom theories and concepts to “real-world” work situations at one of the nation’s largest public transportation agencies.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Student Internship
Type of Program: Summer Internship (Paid)
Location: Long Beach
Ages: Must be at least 16 years of age to apply and be enrolled in high school
Application Period: Closed.
BART offers paid, project-based internships designed to provide students with real-world experience and exposure to transit careers while building a future workforce pipeline. Please note that only the General Administration student internship is open to high school aged students.
Norman Mineta High School Summer Academy
Type of Program: Summer educational program (Paid)
Location: Bay Area (sessions conducted virtually)
Ages: Must be at least 15 years old and have completed the ninth grade by the beginning of the Academy.
Application Period: Closed. Check back March 2026.
Named for Bay Area transportation giant Norman Y. Mineta, the Bay Area Summer Academy offers high school students a paid learning opportunity from four of the Bay Area’s regional government agencies: the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the Bay Area Air District (Air District).
High school students will attend weekly, expert-led seminars on Thursdays in July and learn how regional agencies deal with issues like environmental justice, housing and transportation equity, community health and social justice.
I have an internship or event to promote.
Many universities host high school students, either for a summer program or during the academic year, in order to expose students to college life and as an opportunity to learn about topics that may not be part of a student’s high school curriculum. We encourage students to use the information below as a jumping off point on their explorational journey and encourage you to browse each school’s resources carefully in order to find the opportunity that interests you the most!
Join USC’s Summer Pre- College Program!
Immerse yourself in college life by selecting a college-level course in a single discipline that will proudly go on a USC transcript. USC’s four-week, on-campus program is a unique opportunity to join the Trojan family, connect with USC faculty, and explore a potential major before graduating from high school.
Visit USC’s Prospective Students page to find an admissions counselors near you, book a campus tour, and request the information that matters to you.
Join CSULB’s Young Scholars Program!
As part of the Long Beach College Promise, the Young Scholars Program offers high school juniors and seniors an opportunity to earn up to 4 units of college credit at CSULB each semester. To participate, students must be enrolled in a Long Beach College Promise high school.
Visit CSULB’s Prospective Students page to find an admissions counselors near you, book a campus tour, and request the information that matters to you.
Join NAU’s Upward Bound Program!
Upward Bound is designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of high school students who are low-income or first-generation college students (parents have not earned a 4-year college degree). Upward Bound provides services to students to develop academic, social, and life-long learning skills necessary to graduate from high school and college.
Visit NAUS’s Admissions page to find a representative near you, book a campus tour, and more!
Are you interested in earning college credit while still in high school? Through the Dual Enrollment program, eligible high school students can receive college credit for high school courses.
Dual enrollment courses are free and offered at your high school or joint technical education district (JTED) campus through a partnership with Pima Community College.
Join UC Berkeley’s Summer Sessions Program!
Study at UC Berkeley this summer and get a head start on your academic plans. Live on campus and be part of a community of high school students who will be able to take full advantage of everything UC Berkeley has to offer.
Visit UC Berkeley’s Prospective Students page to connect with the Office of Undergraduate Admissiona, book a campus tour, and more!
COSMOS is an intensive four-week summer residential Pre-College Program for high school students who have demonstrated an aptitude for academic and professional careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects. Talented and motivated students completing grades 8-12 have the opportunity to work with renowned faculty, researchers, and scientists in state-of-the-art facilities while exploring advanced STEM topics far beyond the courses usually offered in California high schools. COSMOS fosters its students’ interests, skills, and awareness of educational and career options in STEM fields through challenging curricula that are both hands-on and lab-intensive.
Visit the UC Davis Undergraduate Admission page to learn about campus life, contact an advisor, and browse events for prospective students!
Join UC Irvine’s PRIME Program!
The Pre-College Research Immersion (PRIME) Program at the Institute of Transportation Studies – University of California, Irvine (ITS-Irvine) is an eight-week unpaid summer internship program for high school students to engage in transportation research. Participants are assigned to a specific transportation research project and contribute meaningfully to that project under the guidance and mentorship of an ITS Research Associate. No prior research experience is required.
Visit UC Irvine’s Undergraduate Admissions page to book a campus tour, sign up for event alerts, and more!
The Bruin Ascent Summer Experience (BASE) provides high-achieving California high school students from economically under–resourced communities with the tools, support, and knowledge needed to confidently navigate the complexities of higher education. This online scholarship program will offer students the chance to earn college credit, access valuable mentorship from current UCLA students, and participate in co-curricular workshops that will enrich their academic and personal development. By the end of their time in BASE, students will have a well-rounded foundation to successfully prepare them for their future academic endeavors!
Visit the UCLA Undergraduate Admission page to learn about campus life, contact an advisor, and book a campus tour!
Join Univeristy of Hawaii’s JESSE Internship Program!
The College of Engineering’s JESSE Internship Program invites all qualified high school juniors (current juniors going into their senior year) to explore this unique opportunity to experience a higher level of academics at the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa. Students will engage in hands-on engineering projects and/or assist college undergraduates, researchers, and professors with their research in state-of-the-art facilities. A faculty mentor and/or graduate student will be assigned to each intern to facilitate various research tasks based on their engineering interest within the designated laboratory.
Visit University of Hawaii’s Prospective Students page to book a campus tour, sign up for an admissions information session, and more!
The National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) is an annual summer program hosted by UNLV that immerses high-achieving high school students in the issues of transportation systems and engineering, urban infrastructure planning and pedestrian safety, while also exposing participants to STEM careers and college pathways. For two weeks, students live on campus and explore a laboratory — the streets of Las Vegas — in a way they’ve never experienced before. They learn about the safe system approach for designing streets from UNLV experts, community partners, and engineers from the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada, the Clark County Office of Traffic Safety, and the City of Las Vegas.
Visit the UNLV’s Undergraduate Admission page to learn about campus life, contact an advisor, and book a campus tour!
