Hillsborough County high school students will have the opportunity to gain work experience this summer through the City of Tampa’s Rising Explorers Program. This is a paid internship designed to introduce students to potential careers, gain real world experience and learn financial literacy.
The program offers internships for students ages 16 to 19 for $15 per hour. The internships will run from June 8 through Aug. 7.
City officials said the program has expanded this year, increasing from 48 students in 2025 to 70 available positions.
Brenda McKenzie, the Workforce Partnerships and Special Projects director, said students will be exposed to a variety of career paths across city departments.
“The City of Tampa is a diverse employer, so there will be all kinds of jobs from communications, police, to parks, anything you can think of,” McKenzie said.
To apply for one of these positions, students must be enrolled in a public or private high school within Hillsborough County and be in good academic standing. Applicants are required to have a recommendation letter from a teacher, counselor or mentor and students under 18 must have a signed guardian consent form.
Students must have reliable transportation to the internship sites, be able to work 15 to 25 hours per week with a maximum of 32 hours per week. Applicants will also need to pass a background check and drug screening.
“This is a great way to test out different careers, see what you like, see what fits for you, so that you can figure out which career works best for you moving forward,” McKenzie said.
Students will be placed in one of the city’s departments and paired with mentors who will help guide them throughout the program. Each week there will be a development day where all interns get together and talk about what they have learned. To conclude the program, students will do a capstone project.
“We will get to hear form them how their experience was and what they’ve learned and how they’ll carry this forward,” McKenzie said. “The city has an interest in both developing talent and we need the input of the young Tampanians with what we’re doing day to day to serve the citizens of our city.”
Management Method Analyst Willetta Glenn-Harris said the program has already received about 200 applicants, with two weeks remaining before the deadline.
“We are always looking at the numbers and finding those measures to keep improving the program. There will be a lot more support for the students,” Glenn-Harris said. “There will be a lot of positive support. We want to ensure they stay encouraged and motivated to do their job.”
She said some of these internships have led to future job opportunities and can strengthen student’s college and job resumes.
“It’s very cool to say that I had an internship with the city,” Glenn-Harris said.
The deadline to apply is April 1 and students can fill out an application on the City of Tampa’s website.
