You’ve probably heard the saying that landing a job is all about who you know. Networking reigns supreme – but for many foster youth, having the right connections doesn’t happen without a parent’s network to lean on. Securing a college internship is no different, especially in the ultra-competitive Silicon Valley job market. That’s why we’re turning to you, our community of supporters and friends, to help connect us to businesses interested in hosting a Pivotal paid summer intern. In return, you’ll be getting someone who appreciates the opportunity and is eager to learn new skills and learn side by side with you and your colleagues.
HOST A FOSTER YOUTH INTERN.
Open doors for
foster youth.
At age 18, 75% of foster youth have no work experience. In fact, studies show the only former foster youth who, at age 24, earn wages near the national average are those who had a job while in the foster care system. The Pivotal solution is to provide a professional internship opportunity to 100% of college students in our program. Internships are crucial for many of our young people. No work experience may mean no employment when they graduate from college. A professional internship provides the critical work experience and professional development our college students need to be competitive job seekers upon graduation.
My internship aligned with my studies 100%. Everything I worked on in my internship, I'll use in my classes. Pivotal was engaged with me through the whole experience. I never felt alone, and there was always someone I could contact to help me out.
Diversify your
internships.
Giving a Pivotal scholar a shot changes the trajectory of their lives and could also change your company's future. These internship experiences are critical in providing disadvantaged foster youth with the opportunity to expand their network, build their resume and skills, and inspire them to remain focused on their studies and dreams for a rewarding future. You’ll benefit from getting to know and work with passionate foster youth who may become your next loyal, all-star employees!
We were pleased to welcome Theresa, who joined Norton LifeLock as an intern at the end of 2021. She was strongly recommended to us by Pivotal, and we're already seeing her contributions to our organization.
Like what you hear and interested in learning more?
I’d love to chat with you.
Elijah Valdeolivar
Senior Manager of Career Internships
Give me a call: 408.595.4498
Get in touch: elijah.valdeolivar@pivotalnow.org
We do all the heavy lifting to make it easy.
We take care of all the admin stuff so they’re ready to roll right in.
Our college interns arrive to the workplace just as prepared as any other youth on their first internship day. In addition, Pivotal is the employer of record and manages all of the administrative and payroll functions, so our partners can focus on the internship projects, schedules, and relationship building.
Three weeks or three months, our internships can be as flexible as you need them to be.
Internships can be in-person, hybrid, or virtual and can range from 6-8 weeks in length, be shorter or longer depending on your needs. Our Career Internship Manager is ready to collaborate with potential internship hosts to tailor the best internship experience based on the budget, hours, and bandwidth.
Have questions? We have the answers.
What does it cost & how are interns paid?
Internship hosts who use our staffing model are billed $25/hour, and interns are paid $18.50/hour. Pivotal is the employer of record, paying insurance, taxes, managing background checks, payroll, and other administrative tasks. Hosts are also welcome to hire interns directly or channel them into their established internship program.
How long does an internship last?
Our standard internship runs up to 25-35 hr/week for a total of 150 hours. We can, however, customize them based on your bandwidth and budget.
What is the support like?
We support both the intern and host throughout the experience with internship scope planning, onboarding, and regular check-ins. We’re always available to help in any way at any time.
How is a foster youth intern different from any other intern?
Our college interns may not have the array of experiences and life opportunities that their non-foster peers have, but they bring the same drive, ambition, and eagerness to learn.
How are pivotal interns prepared?
Our internship team carefully matches candidates to opportunities aligned with their studies and aspirations. We work hard to provide each intern with professional development training, so they arrive at the workplace prepared and pumped on their first day of internship! Pivotal is also the employer of record, managing the administrative and payroll functions, so our partners can focus on building relationships.
What if I don't have the budget?
Pivotal may be able to secure outside funds to sponsor a student’s wages for a summer internship. We’re also happy to work with you to create an internship experience that matches your budget.
From Fortune 500 to small businesses, we can match you with the right candidates for your industry.
We'll match your organization with a student from foster care who aspires to work in your industry. We’ve surveyed our young people and know what professional fields they’re passionate about. From dentistry, graphic design, and robotics to real estate -- our students’ interests are diverse.
Accounting
Administration
Animals/Zoology
Business
Construction Management/Admin
Cosmetology
Costume Design
Criminal Justice
Data Analytics
Dentistry
Education
Engineering (Hardware)
Engineering (Materials)
Engineering (Software)
Environmental Science
Film Production
Finance
Forensics
Graphic Design
Healthcare
Hospitality
Human Resources
IT
Law
Law Enforcement
Manufacturing
Marketing
Mental Health/Child Psychology
Pastor
Probation
Project Management
Real Estate
Robotics
Social Work
Video Game Design/Producing
Writing/Journalism
GET
STARTED.
Hear from John how internships can transform a life.
Hiring or not - your network can still help.
Here’s how:
Host
Whether you’re looking for one intern or many, we’ve got the right candidates for you.
Sponsor
Not ready to hire an intern but you want to cover the costs for another host, we can set that up.
Refer
Can’t host or sponsor an intern but know someone else who can, we can help facilitate it.
Read Tommy's story about how a Pivotal summer internship opened up a whole new world.
