Congressional internship in HS (through Girl Scouts of all things)

Nonprofit internship after freshman year (cold applied)

Internship at college sophomore year onwards that was a paid job throughout college.

Grad school assistantship after prof mentioned it in class. Worked for him for 2 semesters. Coauthored a research report. Then he was "too busy" to advise me on a master's thesis related to that topic. Had to scramble to find someone else.

College research assistantship during sophomore year - a professor mentioned during class, I went for interview, and was chosen.

Summer non-profit internship after graduation while looking for a job - a professor was contacted about an opening and brought it to my attention. I was interviewed and chosen.

I had another business internship that came through my dad's rich friend after junior year and a retail clerk job I found myself after freshman year.

So 3 of the jobs didn't involve having special connections. I was a top student in my major. The economy was good for 3 years of my college attendance and crashed during my senior year.

In college, and during their first year after college (when they did not get into grad school right away)

Mine got one after freshman year by responding to a posting on Handshake - contract work through a university research center. His backup, though, was an internship with the company his dad works for.

Summer after freshman year college was the first internship. Applied to like 50 opportunities. It came together late too, like end of April. It’s possible OP and a huge lesson about tenacity and perseverance for your kid. Lots of applications lots of video submissions lots of interviews.

Regular job after freshman year, internship with small company (but in the field of major) after sophomore year, internship with bigger company after junior year.

Just applying online, no personal connection to the company, although it turned out they hired a lot from Virginia Tech.

Both of my kids had one after freshman year in college. One was with my company I will confess but the other was a congressional internship.

There are so many recent topics on this. Try searching "Dcurbanmom internship" on Google to find them.

At what age did your child get their first internship and how did they get it? Please only respond if it was not a family business, connection, great wealth.