The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is celebrating its 20th year of airport internship programs with record levels of participation in a variety of disciplines. Launched in 1997 with 14 high school interns, the Airport’s Employment and Community Partnerships (ECP) department has grown to a record 153 internship hires this summer, covering high school students, transitional age youth, college students, and trades. This represents a 24% increase over the previous year. In the last year the number of high school and college intern applicants increased by 50 percent, totaling almost 800 applicants from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
“Our goal is to be an exceptional Airport in service to our communities, and our expanding program of internships demonstrates our commitment to this cause,” said Airport Director Ivar C. Satero. “It’s rewarding to see the positive impact that an internship can have on an individual’s career path, and I’m especially proud to see interns move onto fulfilling permanent careers at SFO.”
For more than 25 years, SFO has hired college students and participated in internship programs offered by the City and County of San Francisco. Airport-specific programs began with the creation of the Employment and Community Partnerships department in 1997, with the goal of forging lasting connections between local communities and ongoing career placement at SFO.
SFO internships now encompass 14 distinct programs, including:
SFO Career Connect Employment Track, College Track, and Custodial Trainee Program
Established in 2004, Career Connect works with community-based organizations in San Francisco to connect transitional age youth, ages 18-27, to jobs at SFO. Participants work in a paid internship at SFO, developing job skills that make them competitive for permanent employment in a variety of Airport roles, including baggage handlers, ticket agents, and security screeners. SFO has a dedicated staff to support Career Connect participants during their internship by finding them housing, childcare, and teaching them marketable job skills. Many interns are homeless, young parents, or formerly involved with the juvenile justice system. Career Connect includes Career Connect Employment Track, aimed at career exposure for recent high school graduates, Career Connect College Track, a program for local college students that helps them manage the school/life balance and build income, and finally, the Career Connect Custodial Trainee program, which prepares local 21-27 year old residents for permanent careers in facility maintenance.
SFO High School Intern Program
An internship program for high school students, including graduating seniors, in which participants attend job readiness training and workshops.
Tech 21 Trades Exposure Internship (Citywide partnership with SFUSD)
An internship for San Francisco Unified School District students who are participating in Career and Technical Education programs and looking to enter the trades after they graduate high school. At SFO Tech 21 interns work with our construction partners, the Electronic Shop, the Sheet Metal Shop, and the Plumbing shop.
Summer College Intern Program
A paid ten-week internship for college students nationwide, offering real-world experience in departments such as Airfield Operations, Aviation Security, Business and Finance, the SFO Museum, External Affairs, and Sustainability.
SFO College Intern Program
This program targets college students who successfully completed previous Airport internships, such as the high school internship, or Career Connect, and are pursuing higher education.
Student Engineering, Architectural, Planner Trainee Program (Citywide, coordinated by PUC)
A program which places college students in engineering, architectural, and planning internships to work on construction and planning projects at SFO’s Facilities, Design and Construction, and Planning divisions.
YouthWorks (Citywide program, partnership with Japanese Community Youth Council and City departments)
This year-round program provides San Francisco high school students with skill building, educational workshops, and valuable work experience. Interns are placed all over SFO, from Guest Services to Operations and Security.
SFO Fellows Program
This program provides qualified candidates with valuable work experience in a variety of operational and administrative capacities, with a particular emphasis on finance and planning careers.
SFO Project Assist
An internship program targeting students currently enrolled in an accredited college degree program. Each internship position is tailored to the needs of the Airport work site and intern. Most Project Assist interns at the airport work in the SFO Museum, as many Museum Studies university programs require students to gain hands on experience prior to graduating.
SF Fellows (Citywide program, coordinated by DHR)
A City-wide program in which recent college graduates are placed in City departments for one year.
Project Pull (Citywide program)
Intern program designed to expose high school students to careers in architecture, business, and other STEM related careers. The program is administered by SFPUC, DPW and the Japanese Community Youth Council.
Coro Fellowship (national program coordinated by CORO)
A one-year rotational experience for recent college graduates in the areas of non-profit management, public service, and private business.
