- The 2026 TeensWork Alachua program offers paid summer internships for Alachua County youth aged 14-18, earning $14 an hour for up to 17 hours weekly.
- In 2025, 270 teens worked with 125 businesses through TeensWork, with half securing their first job and many opening bank accounts for the first time.
This summer, eligible teenagers across Alachua County will have the chance to gain real-world work experience through the 2026 TeensWork Alachua Summer Youth Employment program (TWA).
Now in its fifth year, the TWA is a collaboration with the Children’s Trust of Alachua County (CTAC) and Goodwill Industries of North Florida that “provides eligible students with paid internships and job opportunities that prepare them to succeed in employment,” according to Goodwill Industries of North Florida’s website.
Youth between the ages of 14-18 who are enrolled in Alachua County schools – public, charter, private, virtual or GED equivalent – can sign up and be placed with a participating business – at no cost to the business, according to a CTAC release.
The students, also known as “interns,” are paid through the TWA program, the release said, earning $14 an hour while working up to 17 hours a week.
In addition to the paid internship, the release states that businesses pass on skills to the students, including communication, job readiness, financial literacy and emotional intelligence, “while receiving support in recruitment, payment, HR (human resources) and career trainings.”
“TWA isn’t just a summer internship; it’s a launching pad,” CTAC Executive Director Marsha Kiner said in the release. “Teens gain practical skills, confidence, and connections that prepare them for who they’re becoming in the world. By helping young people think critically as they enter the workforce, this program invests in strong, engaged citizens and in our community’s future.”
In 2025, the release said 270 teenagers worked for 125 business partners.
“For half of those students, it was their first job ever,” the release said. “Many opened bank accounts for the first time, with help from the program [TWA].”
Throughout this past summer, every student logged an average of 133 hours at their TWA jobs, the release said.
Businesses can now request an intern for the 2026 TWA by visiting https://formstack.io/9B999. Requests will be taken until Thursday, April 30.