In this 2025 URx Conference session, Matt Stephenson of Code2College addresses the longstanding early-career dilemma: how to gain experience without already having it. He shares how Code2College has tackled this challenge by placing high school students—some as young as 14—into paid, technical internships at companies like Atlassian, Indeed, and YETI.
Matt presents compelling case studies and data showing how these early experiences drive real business impact, foster mentorship, and create long-term pathways into tech careers. With a 96% college matriculation rate and a 92% intern return offer rate, Code2College proves that meaningful work experience can (and should) start well before college.
Catch the full recording to learn how high school internships can be a powerful strategy for diversifying your talent pipeline and closing opportunity gaps early.
