Student Internships

We partner with industry employers to reimburse summer internship wages, making it easier for local business to hire students and for students to gain real-world experience. Employer participation triples when reimbursement is available.

Overview

One of the most effective bridges between classroom learning and meaningful employment is a well-supported internship. In partnership with the Pagosa Springs Community Development Corporation, Build Pagosa launched a structured internship program that connects high school students with local employers in their field of interest.

The curriculum

The program's growth speaks for itself. We placed 23 interns in 2022, grew to 38 in 2023, and reached 55 students in 2024: a 139% increase in just three years. For this program, students complete a survey indicating their career interests and are matched with an industry partner accordingly. From there, they commit to 120 hours, completed on a schedule that works around their academic and personal commitments. The placements are purposeful and varied. Students interested in hospitality work at local restaurants and hotels, providing meaningful support to businesses during the busy summer season. Those drawn to health services intern at the local hospital, spending each day shadowing a different department, from the emergency room to custodial, gaining exposure to the ins and outs of healthcare which cannot be replicated in a classroom. Similar tailored placements exist across the other industries Build Pagosa serves.

The results go beyond resumé-building. Every year of the program, students have been hired for continued employment after their internship concluded, highlighting the lasting impact of this program. Employers who participated received a stipend to offset the cost of hosting and mentoring a student, which helped bring businesses to the table and kept the program accessible to smaller local employers.

Register your interest

Students and employers both start in the same place: tell us what you are interested in and we will match you for next summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are students matched with a placement?

You complete a survey indicating the careers you are interested in, and we match you with an industry partner accordingly.

How many hours does it take?

120 hours, completed on a schedule that works around your academic and personal commitments.

What kind of placements are there?

Placements are purposeful and varied. Students interested in hospitality work at local restaurants and hotels, supporting those businesses through the busy summer season. Those drawn to health services intern at the local hospital, spending each day shadowing a different department, from the emergency room to custodial. Similar tailored placements exist across the other industries Build Pagosa serves.

Why would an employer take part?

Participating employers receive a stipend to offset the cost of hosting and mentoring a student, which keeps the program within reach of smaller local businesses. Every year the program has run, students have been hired for continued employment after their internship concluded.

Help us build a better future

Your support goes toward training space, equipment and credentials for people who want to build a career without leaving the region.

Donate now How we are funded

Join the Build Pagosa community

Build Pagosa runs on people showing up, employers offering placements, tradespeople teaching a session, neighbors giving what they can. Here are the easiest ways in.