Employers! Are you interested in providing local youth with an internship opportunity at your place of business?

We are actively recruiting worksites that can provide opportunities for youth interns to engage in real-world work experiences in the community. Opportunities are available after school through June 2026 and in the summer beginning July 2026.

Several thousand youth between the ages of 14-20 yrs. apply to the ROC Youth Employment Network each year. For some youth that apply, this is their first opportunity to gain real-world work experience. The Direct Placement Internship Program (DPIP) is a subset of the programming designed to serve youth ages 16+ who demonstrate a higher level of job-readiness than most and are placed in higher-level positions in the public, not-for-profit, or private sectors. Many interns for Direct Placement have already held employment or participated in job-readiness-trainings programs prior to referral. We’ll help you find the best intern to fit your business’s needs and provide support in the process. Businesses interested in hiring an intern through the ROC Youth Employment Network can apply two ways:

 

1. Intern Request Form 

Interested businesses can complete an Intern Request Form and submit it to RochesterWorks or the City of Rochester using the instructions included in the documents below.

RochesterWorks_SYEP_ROC Your Job Intern Request FAQs 2026

RochesterWorks_SYEP_ROC Your Job Intern Request Form 2026

City of Rochester_SOOP Intern Request FAQs – SUMMER 2025

City of Rochester_SOOP Intern Request Form 2026

 

2. Request for Proposals (Summer Programs ONLY)

Each winter, RochesterWorks submits a Request for Proposals to qualified community partners to deliver structured employment-based paid summer work experiences for youth.

The Request for Proposals seeks to identify local for-profit, not-for-profit, and faith-based organizations capable of providing a six-week summer work experience for youth ages 14-15 from late-June/early-July to mid-August.

  • Qualified work experiences must employ a minimum of 10 youth for 20 hours per week during the six-week period. Attention must be given to developing traditional paid employment activities that mirror true-to-life job activities with a youth-driven and strengths-based employment focus.
  • Employers are encouraged to partner with local businesses to provide structured work experiences. Partnerships should include a formal Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) or a Letter of Intent to detail the working relationship. Specific job tasks must be consistent with the New York State minimum-age standards for employed youth under the age of 18.
  • Qualified work experiences must all integrate financial literacy and sexual harassment training. Employers selected for funding will receive standardized financial literacy training for implementation.

Visit the Request for Proposals page on the RochesterWorks website to view recent and open RFPs.