The Ladders for Leaders program offers outstanding high school and college students the opportunity to participate in paid 6-week summer internships with leading corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies in New York City. Ladders for Leaders is open to NYC students ages 16—24, (High School Junior – Post Graduate) currently enrolled in high school or college with a minimum and prior work or volunteer experience.
The Summer 2025 Ladders for Leaders application is now closed.
PENCIL will host pre-employment training sessions for accepted students. Students are expected to complete pre-employment training, which includes mandatory in person training, before they are eligible for placement in an internship. PENCIL holds multiple training sessions throughout the spring semester during NYC Department of Education Mid-Winter Recess, as well as additional dates throughout the Spring.
Training information will be shared once accepted.
Students who completed training in a previous year but were not placed in a Ladders for Leaders internship, must attend training again this year.
To learn more, check out:
To learn how to apply, watch the:
SYEP 2024 Participant Application Video
Please contact l4l@pencil.org with any questions.
*Internships are not guaranteed
The Ladders for Leaders program is an initiative of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) and supported by the NYC Center for Youth Employment and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City.
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APPLICATION
Apply to PENCIL’s Ladders for Leaders cohort and join PENCIL’s network, gain professional work experience and a chance for a paid summer internship. Ladders for Leaders is open to NYC students ages 16—24, enrolled in high school or college. There is no GPA requirement for participants to apply for Ladder for Leaders.
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CAREER EXPLORERS
PENCIL supports a cohort of students engaged in a paid work-based learning experience designed to promote career awareness, exploration and preparation. Career Explorers takes place over a six-week period from July 1st to August 9th. Students complete 25 hours of synchronous and asynchronous activities each week and are paid $16 per hour. Please note Career Explorers will not be taking place summer 2025.
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INTERNSHIP
PENCIL’s Ladders for Leaders Program typically places over 450 students at over 200 companies across New York City. All PENCIL internships provide students with at least 150 hours of work in July and August and are paid at a NY State minimum wage or higher. Students are matched to employers based on alignment of skills and interests, however, internship placement is not guaranteed.
EMPLOYER LIST