Update

High School Internships

MTC offers Bay Area high school students the opportunity to discover the inner workings of a metropolitan planning organization, and start on a career path in government service.

Applications Now Open

High school students are encouraged to apply before the application deadline on April 28, 2024.

Apply now.

The Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy

Named for Bay Area transportation giant Norman Y. Mineta, the Bay Area Summer Academy for high school students is a paid internship with MTC, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District).

The program kicks off at the Bay Area Metro Center on July 8, 2024, and over the course of the subsequent four weeks, students will learn how regional agencies deals with issues like environmental justice, housing and transportation equity, community health, and social justice. 

MTC, ABAG, BCDC and the Air District are sponsoring the Bay Area Summer Academy to provide insights into how regional governments address these issues and how the public – including students – can help advance equity across the Bay Area. Most sessions will be conducted remotely online, with the kickoff (July 8) and capstone (August 2) sessions to be held in person in San Francisco at the regional agencies’ shared headquarters. 

During weekly, mostly-online seminars, students will learn:

  • What regional agencies do, and the skills needed for a future career in the public sector
  • How to weigh in on decisions that impact the air we breathe, the neighborhoods we live in, how we get to work and school, spaces for exercise, and other factors that shape the health of our communities
  • How to have a voice in making decisions that benefit their communities
  • How to answer questions like: How long is a bridge supposed to last? Why are there so many potholes? Why is housing so costly? Is the water really rising in the Bay Area?

Students will attend online sessions, complete quizzes, and at the end of the program, make a brief presentation on a local challenge involving transportation, housing, environmental justice and/or related topics.

Upon completion of the Bay Area Summer Academy, students will receive a certificate to include in college, vocational and/or job applications.

Applicant qualifications:

  • Live in the Bay Area and attend a local high school
  • Must be at least 16 years old and have completed the ninth grade by the beginning of the Academy
  • Be able to attend online seminars and present on a topic related to the seminars
  • If the student is under 18, have the permission of a parent or guardian to participate

Student participants come from across the Bay Area, with a focus on young people who might not otherwise consider a public sector career. Students of all races and ethnic backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Grade point averages are not considered.

Participating agencies include the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

Staff Contact

Phone: (415) 778-5207
Email: InternCoordinator@bayareametro.gov

About Norman Mineta

Norman Mineta dedicated his life to public service: as San Jose City Council member and mayor, representing the South Bay in Congress, and serving as the Secretary of Transportation. Throughout his accomplished life, he cared deeply about creating educational and career avenues for the next generation of public servants. MTC is proud to name the Bay Area Summer Academy after Secretary Mineta, honoring his memory by inspiring youth to become public servants.

Norman Yoshio Mineta

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is an equal-opportunity, non-discriminatory employer. MTC provides all employees and applicants with an equal opportunity in every aspect of the employment experience regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical handicap, medical condition or marital status.