Skip to content

Internships and Co-Ops

Milton Hershey School student Nate Cunfer working at his automotive internship.

Getting a Sense of the Trade

Milton Hershey School is proud of its robust internship and co-op program. Through the program, students can learn directly from professionals in fields of interest.

Internships and Co-Ops: Student Reflections

Milton Hershey School students have the ability to participate in real-life, hands-on internship experiences. They can intern at area companies as well as the school’s Hershey entity partners. These internships match each student’s chosen career pathway in the school’s award-winning Career and Technical Education program. Through the program, students also learn employability skills, like teamwork, time management, and organization—all qualities that employers value.

Video Poster

Solomon Gbodi: Hershey Bears

Solomon Gbodi shares what it was like to intern with the hockey operations department at the Hershey Bears and the athletics department at Milton Hershey School.

Video Poster

Kelsey Bazan: Harrisburg YWCA

Kelsey Bazan shares how her internship in the Education and Human Services career pathway helped her give back to the community that supported her during her childhood.

Video Poster
A Milton Hershey School student works on making pastries at her internship with Desserts, Etc. in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Internships By the Numbers

  • 121 seniors in the Class of 2022 completed Spartan internships
  • 137 members of the Class of 2022 gained authentic work experience through internships or co-ops
  • 39 seniors were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society

Community Partnerships

Staff members have developed strong partnerships with the local business community who offer MHS students meaningful internships and co-ops. They learn directly from professionals through these experiences.

During the 2020-21 school year, 93 Senior Division students completed internships that matched their chosen career pathways. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts is a strong supporter of the MHS internship program and continues to collaborate with the school on inventive ways to give students real-world experience that align with their career interests.

See who has hosted MHS students recently.

A Milton Hershey School student works at his culinary internship with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts.

Internships On Campus

Students also gain valuable experience on campus through internships at the student-run Spartan Ice Cream Center and Project Market through the MHS Agricultural and Environmental Education program. In 2019, 10 high school students interned with the Spartan Ice Cream Center and another nine at Project Market. These internships teach students important lessons such as customer service skills, how math applies to the real world, the importance of punctuality, and the nutritional benefits of healthy fruits and vegetables.

A Milton Hershey School student completes her early education internship.

Student Co-Ops

After designating a career pathway, the cooperative education students are placed in a job of their chosen career field. Here, they gain professional experience in the workplace, building on the skills they learned in the classroom and receiving industry-recognized certifications in the process. The student work program allows students to get part-time employment during the summer, after school, or on weekends.

Seniors in the co-op program receive classroom instruction for part of the day and then enter the workforce for the rest of the day. They develop practical skills and hands-on experience. Many continue exploring their fields of interest through an apprenticeship.

More on the MHS Apprenticeship Program

Milton Hershey School does not discriminate in admissions or other programs and services on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, sex, religious creed or disability. Read important MHS policies on equal opportunity and diversity, equal employment opportunity, and more.