Internships in Freshman Summer: Building North American Work Experience from Scratch

The summer after your freshman year is actually a great opportunity. Many students studying in North America try to find internships during this time. Even though you just started college and don’t have much project experience yet, and many job postings say “background required,” that doesn’t mean there are no chances. What matters is how you prepare and where you look. Programming exercises from your classes, data analysis assignments, or even small tools you’ve built—all these can shine on your resume if you organize them well. Explaining clearly what you did, what tools you used, and the results you achieved is more effective than just listing lots of technical terms. Many companies don’t expect freshman students to have work experience—they care more about whether you’ve prepared seriously.

There are plenty of platforms to find internships, not just LinkedIn. Your school’s Handshake portal, research projects, professors’ labs, and student organizations all offer opportunities. If you participate in coding clubs, data challenges, or help a professor, you can ask if they have any summer projects available. Some internships might be unpaid, but they provide valuable experience and can be added to your resume. Don’t worry if the role seems small; what matters is that you start gaining experience. Compared to peers, it’s less about which company you join and more about whether you began taking action earlier than others.

Also, don’t overlook your school’s career center. Sometimes, just stopping by and chatting can reveal small internships, short projects, or campus referrals. Spend a bit of time asking around and sending emails—even if only one person replies, it could lead to a chance. When you start the internship, don’t stress if you don’t understand everything or work slowly at first. What counts is your willingness to learn, ask questions, and stick with it. Getting even a little experience as a freshman makes it much easier to find better positions in sophomore and junior years. Many people start this way—one step at a time.