Young adults in Santa Cruz County facing barriers to unpaid internships now have access to more than 10 paid positions through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Internship Opportunity Program. The initiative, a partnership between Santa Cruz Works, Cabrillo College, and the City of Santa Cruz, targets individuals 18 and older living in underserved communities, with priority given to residents of Beach Flats, Lower Ocean, Live Oak, Watsonville, San Lorenzo Valley, and the Pajaro Valley.
The program addresses a critical equity gap: traditional internships often require unpaid labor, which excludes young people who cannot afford to work without wages. By offering paid placements of 10 to 20 hours per week for up to six months, the program enables participants to earn income while gaining professional experience in fields such as technology, marketing, media, sustainability, business operations, and community services. All internships must conclude by June 1, 2027.
Participating organizations include Clean Oceans International, Coastwoods Real Estate / Legacy Property, GeoPulse Solutions Inc., KRML, Mission Hill Creamery, People First of Santa Cruz, Sarah Marschall Strategy, Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation, Santa Cruz Children's Museum of Discovery, Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center, Treeswax, and United Way of Santa Cruz County. Positions vary by organization, allowing young adults to explore diverse career paths while contributing to their community.
The program builds on the success of its first cohort, which placed interns in roles such as software engineering, marketing, communications, video production, and community outreach. Yuliana Morales-Galvan, a software engineering intern at Nurbli, helped improve digital tools supporting Indigenous families; Emily Ramirez developed social media and outreach skills at Clean Oceans International; and Elsa Tamayo gained marketing and communications experience at Siena House. These examples illustrate how paid internships can provide more than a paycheck—they build confidence, professional networks, and credentials that strengthen future job and college applications.
For Cabrillo College students, the program offers a direct link between education and employment. As a workforce development partner, Cabrillo College helps connect students to these opportunities, reinforcing its role as a pathway to economic mobility in the region. The program is funded through a grant awarded to the City of Santa Cruz and launched in June 2025 with Digital NEST; its expansion to include Cabrillo College signals a growing commitment to regional workforce development.
Eligibility requires no extensive professional experience—only a willingness to learn. There is no cost to apply, and interested young adults are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. To view available internships and apply, visit Santa Cruz Works - Paid Internship Opportunities. Parents, teachers, counselors, and community organizations are also encouraged to share these opportunities with eligible young adults.
By removing financial barriers and providing mentorship, the AHSC Internship Opportunity Program not only helps individuals launch careers but also strengthens the local workforce and supports economic mobility across Santa Cruz County. As the program continues to grow, it demonstrates a scalable model for connecting underserved young adults with meaningful, paid work experience.
