INTERNSHIPS
WE NOW OFFER FOUR
PAID INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES!
NEW!
Winter/Spring
LEADING
MY LIFE:
Healthy Choices & Culinary Training
Summer
LEADING
THE WAY:
Exploring & Rethinking Milwaukee
DEAR TEENS ~
If you are seeking financial and community resources to meet your needs as a young adult, our internships pay $11/hour, provide useful financial literacy experiences, and connect you to community members with special backgrounds, resources, and connections to future opportunities.
If you are seeking new and exciting experiences that could help you choose your paths in life, our internships will give you life skills you can use no matter what you pursue in life, through exposure to experiences like culinary training with local chefs, gardening training that grows food for the community, urban planning training that will expand your knowledge of the city, and entrepreneurial training to help your business model get off the ground.
If you are seeking opportunities to develop both your own unique identity and your leadership roles within a team, our internships are grounded in values of respect for ourselves and others, belonging to a collaborative team, and creating change in our communities. Each internship is designed to be a safe, brave, and bold space where everyone is included, dignified, and free from physical and mental harm, where risks and new experiences are encouraged, and where self-advocacy and leadership are the goal.
Finally, if want to experience all of the above with increasing freedom and independence in a culture of joy, our hands-on, project-based internships will prepare you for our four apprenticeships in Education, Marketing, Horticulture, and Entrepreneurship--or a host of other opportunities with local organizations and businesses.
Which internships are right for you? Find out more by clicking the links above!
We can't wait to work with you :)
~ Dominic, DJ, Paula, & Ryan
Teens Grow Greens' Internship Team
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHO CAN APPLY?
Any Milwaukee-area high school student enrolled in MPS, charter school, private school, or homeschool.
Seniors who are planning on attending college in Fall 2024 will need to consider the likelihood that they will not be able to commit fully to the summer internship (which end Aug. 17) or the fall internship (which ends November 9), especially if they will not reside in Milwaukee.
WHAT IS THE APPLICATION AND HIRING PROCESS?
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Teens can complete an online application for an internship at any time as long as it's before each internship's application deadline:
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Winter 2024: December 15, 2023
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Summer 2024 (both): April 19, 2024
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Fall 2024: July 31, 2024
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Once their application is received, applicants will receive an invitation via email to sign up for a 20-minute virtual interview.
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All applicants will receive an email within 2 weeks of their interview letting them know whether they've been hired or not. Teens accepted to an internship will need to complete government employment and tax forms, all of which require certain kinds of documentation (like ID, social security number, etc.) at a required Saturday workshop.
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Once all forms and documents are received and approved, Teens Grow Greens helps new hires open a bank account if they do not already have one (for direct deposit of their paychecks).
HOW MANY INTERNSHIPS CAN I APPLY FOR?
You may apply for as many internship experiences as you can commit to:
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Winter only
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Summer only (one of two choices)
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Fall only
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Winter and Summer
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Winter and Fall
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Summer and Fall
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Winter, Summer, and Fall!
If you are hired for Internship 1 and choose to move on to Internships 2 or 3, you will not have to re-apply and re-interview, only make a new commitment. If you are first hired for Internship 2 and choose to move on to Internship 3, you won’t have to re-interview either, only make a new commitment.
A commitment to an internship means that you choose to have no other extended commitments (such as a sport, summer camp, driver's education, or other job) that would compete with the days and times of the Teens Grow Greens internship. It also means that you can commit to completing the entire internship experience.
Interns who commit to all three internship experiences are eligible to receive a $3,000 Ryan Graham Scholarship (for demonstrated growth in respect, responsibility, resilience, and commitment to themselves, the programs, and the community).
Graduates of any internship may apply for one of our 2025 Apprenticeships in Education, Horticulture, Entrepreneurship, or Marketing.
HOW MANY SPOTS ARE OPEN FOR EACH INTERNSHIP?
We can typically hire about 25 Northside and 25 Southside interns each year. At the end of each internship, we will fill open intern positions with new hires. (Note: The new summer internship focused on exploring Milwaukee will only accept 15 interns during its pilot year.)
CAN I APPLY FOR DIFFERENT INTERNSHIPS IN DIFFERENT YEARS?
Yes. For instance, you may be able to commit to only the Winter internship as a freshman, but you can apply and interview for the Summer and/or Fall internships as a sophomore if your schedule is free and your interest is still there.
WILL THE INTERNSHIP BE VIRTUAL, IN-PERSON, OR HYBRID?
The Winter and Fall internships, which overlap with the school year, is hybrid, with virtual work sessions during weekdays and longer in-person sessions on Saturdays. The Summer internships will be mostly in-person, with special virtual opportunities as they arise.
Teens Grow Greens is constantly monitoring the latest CDC recommendations, however, regarding in-person gatherings and reserves the right to change the work environment accordingly for the safety and health of the interns and the entire Teens Grow Greens team.
HOW MUCH IS THE HOURLY WAGE? ARE THERE RAISES?
The winter internship (which is 3 months long and entails a lot of learning and training) pays $9.00/hour. The summer internships (which are only 2 months but require a lot of manual labor or projects) pays $10.00/hour. And the fall internship (which is 2 months and is very time-intensive and hands-on) pays $11.00/hour. Someone going from one internship to another will obviously receive a raise in pay.
WHAT OTHER INCENTIVES ARE THERE FOR COMPLETING EACH INTERNSHIP?
Internship incentives include:
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Possessing a robust and attractive resume.
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Each internship experience will host a celebration for its participants, with an end-of-the-year graduation for everyone who participated.
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Those interns who complete all 3 internship experiences are eligible for a $3,000 Ryan Graham Scholarship and Apprenticeship positions, which start at $12.00/hour.