A student must complete at least 120 hours of on-the-job experience while working on the project of value. In addition, students are required to reflect upon their experience through journal entries and other assignments. Students will receive high school honors credits. Credit and grades are assigned after the student completes all requirements and submits all work to the Academy Director.

An internship is an experience in which a high school student takes a responsible role as a worker in a company or organization and then reflects on the experience. The internship program is a supplement to formal classroom instruction. It intends to significantly add to the instructional program's vitality and impact a student's course. The Wake County School System requires all students enrolled in a Career Academy to complete an internship before graduation to graduate with the academy distinction. Most students choose to complete their internship in the summer between their junior and senior years. 

Expected outcomes of this experience for the students include:

1. Increased self-esteem and personal growth derived from successfully meeting new interpersonal and intellectual challenges. 
2. Acquired new interpersonal skills and knowledge.
3. Increase exposure to various work roles and career choices.
4. Increase understanding of the relationship between school-based learning and work experience.
5. Increase opportunities for high school students to explore areas of academic career or service interest.
6. Development of positive relationships between the internship program, the school, and the community.