For many Summer Search post-secondary participants and recent alumni, taking the next steps toward a career is exciting and also overwhelming. The path from classroom to workplace isn’t always clear, and knowing how to move forward can feel daunting, especially for young people who are the first in their families to make this leap. 

That’s why Summer Search is investing in our Career Coach Program in 2025: bringing the work that has been happening across sites into a unified national program. We have opened up matches across regions, lengthened the program commitment to nine months, and trained coaches on Summer Search’s mentoring approach. We have been so thrilled to hear about the deep relationships participants and coaches have created so far!

The program pairs Summer Searchers in their 2nd-4th year post-high school with community volunteers who offer support rooted in deep professional experience and industry specific networks. This year, 70 Summer Search participants have been paired with volunteer Career Coaches, including alumni, board members, and staff at corporate partners. 

Participants shared that having someone in their field, who understood the landscape from the inside, changed the way they saw their own path: “It was super helpful to have someone inside the field giving you pointers and tips and giving you examples that applied directly to you.”

And for many, the work was concrete and immediate: “The highlight was getting an internship and going through my resume, CV & portfolio.”

Entering the workforce is not as simple as just having the right skills and interviewing well. One coach shared how meaningful it was to talk openly about identity and representation: “A highlight was spending time with my mentee and being able to see her explore so many opportunities! I also enjoyed having really genuine conversations about what it’s like to be a person of color and other aspects of our identities in various workplace settings.” 

What Makes the Career Coach Program Unique

• 1:1 coaching grounded in care and respect over 9 months
• Practical support, like resume reviews and interview practice
• Real-world insight into industries and workplace expectations aligned with participants’ career goals
• A relationship that treats career exploration with deep patience and humanity – humor and occasionally tears are all part of the process!

These partnerships truly highlight the best of our community: motivated students benefiting from the expertise of successful leaders! As one coach shared: “The highlight of my experience was when my participant got an internship offer from one of her top choice options. We worked very hard on this application and I was proud of how she incorporated my feedback to improve her essays and application.”

The 2026-2027 Career Coach applications for participants and coaches will reopen in August 2026 and run October to June. Learn more at: https://summersearch.org/ccp/. Questions? Reach out to Ruby Kirby at rkirby@summersearch.org.