The local internship program provides 6-8 week work experience opportunities to high school and University students during their summer holidays. The program broadens the horizons of these students by increasing their knowledge of the workplace, preparing them for future employment and training them in basic life skills to grow into leadership roles.

Most of the selected students, ranging from 16 to 24 years of age, reside in low-income areas in East Amman. LoYAC organizes field visits in cooperation with the workplace to assess the students’ commitment and performance during their internship period. Also, it holds bi-weekly meetings for the interns to give them the opportunity to express themselves, address problems, celebrate success and share best practices. In cooperation with community service centers, interns are required to participate in 18 hours of community service on their weekends during the period of their internship.

Yearly, a minimum of 2,500 applications are screened by the LoYAC team, half of which pass the first screening criteria. The second series of interviews selects the final students for the available internships. In addition, a two-day training workshop for the interns is offered to prepare the students for the rigors of the work environment.

In 2010, LoYAC trained 300 candidates in basic life and work skills to prepare them for the available 190 internship opportunities. The training process is offered by LoYAC’s internship and capacity building program. Of these candidates, 190 students were employed in 38 public & private organizations.