Challenge
Paid internships help younger generations to learn by doing
Unpaid internships make people choose between a living wage and growing their network in the world of business. By pairing paid internships with education, we can ensure that the social disparities usually created by unpaid gigs are eliminated, providing the ability to learn and earn a living at the same time to all.
Enstitute provides students with one to two year, paid, full-time, apprenticeships at high growth startups, small businesses, and corporations. The aim is to prepare them for the workforce and to accelerate their career trajectory. Enstitute piloted a program with 11 students in New York City in 2012. The program flips the traditional model of education on its head. Students spend Monday to Friday 'on the job', working in key roles at high growth companies, where they learn real-world skills across technology, business, and design. They supplement their experience with an online curriculum as well as weekly community and networking events. Halfway through the pilot program, 70% of students received preliminary offers for permanent jobs. An influx of over 700 students and close to 1,000 companies applied to the 2013 program.