The path into the U.S. workforce is becoming more demanding as some employers say younger applicants often lack communication skills, professional etiquette and practical experience. Nonprofit Genesys Works is addressing that gap through eight weeks of intensive training, ongoing mentoring and paid corporate internships designed to prepare high school students for office work.
The program's CEO, Byron V. Garrett, said companies are not necessarily unable to find talent. Rather, they want to hire people who can become productive quickly after joining.
Training covers email, meetings and AI tools
Genesys Works has provided career opportunities to high school students from underserved households since 2002. Students typically complete the structured training during the summer before their final year of high school. The curriculum includes resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, mock interviews, communication, critical thinking, digital literacy, Excel and office etiquette.
The course also addresses small workplace behaviors that can affect performance. Students are taught to put away their phones during meetings, avoid abbreviations in work emails, and organize and follow up on meeting documents promptly. Garrett said core professional skills such as logic, reasoning and critical thinking are becoming more important. Students must learn not only the technical skills tied to a role, but also the basics of arriving on time, reporting to supervisors and working within an organizational structure.
Artificial intelligence is now part of the curriculum as well. Because many schools have not yet incorporated these tools into formal classes, Genesys Works teaches students how to verify AI-generated content, understand the limits of AI systems and avoid exposing proprietary company information. They also learn to use office software and apply prompt engineering to improve efficiency in business settings, rather than treating ChatGPT solely as a personal productivity tool.
Paid internships can provide up to $14,000
Genesys Works now operates in nine U.S. regions and has served more than 14,000 students over the past two decades. In 2025 alone, the organization helped 2,161 young people begin their careers and worked with 205 companies across 27 industries, including health care, technology, finance and construction.
Unlike many young people who receive unpaid internships, participants in the Genesys Works program are placed only in paid roles. Students can earn as much as $14,000 during internships held in their senior year of high school. Garrett said the income can ease pressure on families while also changing how students view their own work and career choices.
The long-term earnings of program alumni have also drawn attention. Alumni who completed the program at least seven years ago earn an average of $67,000 a year, compared with an average starting salary of $56,153 for recent college graduates of the same age group. Genesys Works estimates that 73% of surveyed alumni earn more annually than at least one of their parents, while another 20% already own a home. The figures come from the program's own alumni data and estimates, however, and do not directly represent the earnings of every participant.
Health care, construction and technology add placements
Gen Z applicants face tougher competition as employers scale back hiring for entry-level positions. Garrett said some corporate partners are also managing costs, but demand continues to grow in parts of health care and construction.
Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, is doubling the number of interns in its next program cycle compared with the previous one. A recovery in construction activity is also creating more placements. Students will not perform on-site work requiring hard hats, but they can take part in back-office operations, procurement and quality assurance.
Genesys Works is also tracking shortages of data engineers and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technicians as data centers expand across the United States. Garrett said technology remains one of the program's strongest long-term areas. Employers are particularly interested in young workers who understand both technical tools and how offices operate, and some alumni have moved into roles such as IT help-desk support.
For employers, these programs offer more than short-term interns. They provide an early channel for identifying and developing entry-level talent before formal hiring. For students, converting training into long-term employment still depends on corporate hiring levels, industry demand and the chance of remaining with an employer after an internship. Current program data nonetheless show that paid work experience and career mentoring are already a significant part of students' path into health care, technology, finance and construction.