Cabrillo College Joins as Partner for AHSC Internship Opportunity Program Cohort 2
Santa Cruz Works is expanding its paid internship pipeline for local youth with a new higher education partner.
Santa Cruz Works is pleased to announce that Cabrillo College has joined as a partner for Cohort 2 of the AHSC Internship Opportunity Program (IOP). The program, funded through the City of Santa Cruz's Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) grant, connects local employers with young adults from underserved Santa Cruz County neighborhoods for paid, six month internships.
Cohort 1 of the program matched interns with ten local businesses, with each participating company receiving up to $10,000 to compensate their intern. Early results showed real gains for both sides: employers reported stronger productivity and fresh ideas, while interns gained hands on experience, mentorship, and industry credentials close to home.
With Cabrillo College now on board, the program gains a direct talent pipeline feeding talent into the program. Cabrillo has long supported local workforce development, and this partnership connects its students with paid internship opportunities at Santa Cruz County businesses, while giving employers access to another pool of motivated, local talent.
Digital NEST, which led outreach and candidate screening for Cohort 1, while no longer a formal partner for Cohort 2, will continue to share internship opportunities with its youth, helping keep the pipeline of candidates strong as Santa Cruz Works and Cabrillo College take on a larger role in outreach and screening.
Santa Cruz Works will open applications to employers to apply to participate in Cohort 2 in the coming weeks. Together with the City of Santa Cruz, the partners aim to grow the program further, matching more local businesses with the area's emerging workforce. Keep an eye out in our newsletter for more information regarding Cohort 2!
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