Participant Frequently Asked Questions

Ladders for Leaders is a nationally recognized program that offers high school and college students the opportunity to participate in paid professional summer internships with leading corporations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies in New York City. 

To be eligible for Ladders, you must meet the following requirements:  

• Be a high school or college student between the ages of 16-21  
• Have a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00  
• Be a permanent resident of one of the five boroughs of New York City  
• Must have prior work experience, either paid or volunteer  
• Be legally allowed to work in New York City

There are four components to the application process:

1. Online Application
2. Pre- Employment workshops
3. Mock interviews (Individual and Group)
4. Employment opportunity emails and Interviews with potential employers. 

Participants selected into the program must attend the pre-employment workshop. Failure to complete or attend mandatory program events will result in dismissal from the program.

Your application is being scored and evaluated based on the following:

1. Essay questions
2. Resume*
3. Transcript

***Please make sure to review your resume carefully as it plays a significant part in your acceptance and possible job placement.

No, only the first application submitted will be accepted. Submitting multiple applications may disqualify you from the program.

Visit the DYCD website (https://application.nycsyep.com/Pages/StatusLogin.aspx) and follow the instructions, or email [email protected] for a status update.

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility based on your essay questions, resume and GPA. If eligible you will receive an email welcoming you to the program 

***Please keep in mind that submission of an application DOES NOT guarantee acceptance into the NYC Ladders for Leaders program or placement in a summer internship position.

You will receive an email from the L4L team in regards to your application status. Applicants will either be:

• Selected – Accepted into the program and will be invited to pre employment workshop 
• Waitlisted – You are not rejected from the program. If more spots open up your candidacy will be re-evaluated. 
• Rejected – Will not be accepted into the program due to not meeting program requirements. Supplemental resources for summer employment  will be provided. 

***Further clarification on status decisions can be provided by reaching out to [email protected]commonpointqueens.org 

• You must attend pre employment workshop and mock interview. 
• You will need to submit further documentation to verify the information on your application. You will be responsible for obtaining and providing these documents during the pre- employment workshop (a list of required documents will be provided for you once invited for a pre employment workshop)

All Ladders for Leaders participants must complete unpaid employment and work readiness orientation. The workshops focus on resume writing, job interview skills, financial literacy, college and career exploration, health and gender issues, leadership development, and more. 

You will be scheduled and informed of your pre-employment workshop date via email. 

*YOU MUST attend all pre-employment workshops and submit required documentation in order to be considered for an interview and a potential summer internship placement. These documents are a crucial part of your enrollment process.

• After the pre-employment workshop hours are completed you will be scheduled for a mock interview.
• Participants will be interviewing individually or in groups for a fictitious position. 
• Mock interviews will also be offered to applicants scheduled for an interview with a potential employer. Mock interview can take place in person, over the phone and via Skype/Zoom etc. 

Employment opportunities will be emailed out when you hand in all required documents completed at pre employment workshop and complete a mock interview and as soon as they become available. Please make sure you are continually checking your email and reading the messages thoroughly. 

• If you are eligible your resume will be forwarded on to the employer.
• The employer will review all of the resumes provided and decide who they would like to set up interviews with.
• The employer or Commonpoint Queens will set up interviews with those they are interested in for that specific position.
• Hope for an offer of employment!  If you do not receive an offer, not to worry there will be other opportunities. 

Unfortunately not. While you are allowed to submit interest in multiple opportunities, your resume will only be referred to 1 company at a time. Once your resume is referred out, you will not receive the job list nor will your resume be considered for any other position until the company releases your resume.

The internship portion of the Ladders for Leaders program is between six to eight weeks and will begin anytime between June and July. 

Salaries vary. Internships pay at the New York State minimum wage or higher.  

There are two types of employment opportunities: subsidized and unsubsidized

• Subsidized Worksites– Paid by the city. You will be able to set up a direct deposit account or debit card will be issued for you. 
• Unsubsidized worksites– Paid by the employer and payment established by the employer directly. 

• If you are placed in subsidized worksites then you can work up to 25 hours a week. Your hours will be tracked using timesheets provided by Commonpoint Queens. 
• If you are placed in an unsubsidized worksite you can work for up to 40 hours a week.  
• You will not be paid for lunch/breaks 

Yes. As long as it is agreed upon between the worksite and participant, however, if you are placed in a subsidized worksite, Commonpoint Queens will not be able to pay for the additional hours and it must comply with NYS labor laws. Participants are paid $15 per hour for up to 25 hours a week. 

During the pre-employment training, your provider will have the opportunity to learn more about your career interests and goals, and will use the information in deciding which company they forward your resume to or which employer you interview with. They will also consider the career options you selected in the Ladders application in determining an appropriate internship site for you. 

• For subsidized worksites (paid by the city) you are responsible for submitting weekly timesheets. Timesheet instructions will be provided upon securing a job.

• Unsubsidized worksites are responsible for providing proof of employment in the form of a statement via email with the following information: number of hours worked a week, dates worked and hourly salary.

Yes. If you are selected for a Ladders position and you are under the age of 18, you must submit your most current working paper. Working papers can be obtained through any New York City Public High School or District Family Advocates office

Ladders internships are paid, professional opportunities within corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations. For a full list of companies we partnered with in 2022 please click HERE.

Internship tasks and responsibilities vary based on the employer. Some tasks past Ladders interns have worked on include, but are not limited to, marketing, database maintenance, event planning, sales, external communications, research, data analysis and operations management.

Job descriptions will vary for each employer. Prior to any interview, Central Queens will provide information regarding the skills required by hiring employers.