The Ladder Program is an intensive internship experience that combines working in the real world of entertainment with an academic framework. It is offered only during the Fall Semester for 13 weeks. Enrollment is open to students who will be juniors, seniors or a graduate student at the time of the program and who are currently registered at a four-year college or university. Enrollment is limited. See apply now for more details. Academic credit can be earned and The Ladder Program will work with each intern and their college or university to facilitate that process. The jump from school to the real world can be challenging, especially in the entertainment field as companies do not come to campus to recruit. The only way to get into the industry is to come to the industry and that means Los Angeles. Moving to Los Angeles without a network of friends and business contacts may seem like a daunting prospect, but The Ladder Program can help. The Ladder Program does not guarantee employment, but it will teach the skills needed to have a future career in entertainment. The Ladder Program's Executive Director, Heidi Heller Banks, developed a similar program for Northwestern University and over the course of three years saw many students arrive in Los Angeles, unsure of what they wanted to do after graduation, but knowing they wanted to be involved in the entertainment industry in some capacity. By the end of the program, most had a clear career path and the contacts to start them on their way. The Ladder Program is broken into two parts: Part I: Summer & Part II: Los Angeles Part I: Summer Once a student has applied and been accepted into The Ladder Program, the Summer portion of the program includes detailed meetings with the Executive Director and monthly workshops. During in-depth one-on-one meetings and follow up phone conversations with the Executive Director, each student: develops a specific entertainment resume and learns how to write an entertainment cover letter creates a list of companies that match their career goals and job aspirations utilizes 15 years worth of The Ladder Program's personal contacts and self-generated individual leads to secure a 13 week internship for the Fall Semester In monthly workshops students prepare for the exciting Los Angeles experience. Led by the Executive Director, each student: develops interview skills for an entertainment job search learns industry specific professional guidelines builds a unique entertainment vocabulary learns the physical layout of the Los Angeles area, including handy driving shortcuts team builds with other The Ladder Program participants >back to top Part II: Los Angeles Fall Semester begins in Los Angeles where students spend 13 weeks fully experiencing the entertainment world through their industry internships, weekly class, the guest speaker series and class trips.   The first weekend in Los Angeles is a two day Orientation. Orientation includes a Welcome Dinner, the first class, and fun, team building activities to acclimate students to Hollywood and prepare everyone for their first day of work. Internships: Students spend 13 weeks working at high profile entertainment companies for a minimum of 35 hours a week, experiencing first hand how the industry works. See internships for a list of companies where students might find an internship. Class: Students attend a weekly two hour class where the entertainment industry is deconstructed critically and candidly. This is the same 300 level class that Executive Director Heidi Heller Banks taught for Northwestern University's dynamic Los Angeles Internship Program for three years. Class is conveniently held at the Oakwood Corporate Housing complex where students live. Class work includes weekly papers, interviews conducted with high profile executives, presentations and other academic projects. Weekly discussion topics allow each student to share their work experiences giving everyone the benefit of learning about the industry from each other. Class becomes a challenging educational tool through which interns better understand the nuts and bolts of this competitive industry.   Guest Speaker Series: Students participate in a Guest Speaker Series which brings highly respected industry insiders into an intimate setting to share their Hollywood insight and experience with The Ladder Program students.   Former guest speakers have included: Evan Corday (Literary Manager at Evolution and Producer of "Two And A Half Men"). Michael Mischler (Executive Vice President at CBS) Michael Grillo (Producer, Former Head of Production for Dreamworks) David Zucker (Senior Vice President of ScottFree Productions and Executive Producer of "The Good Wife") Class Trips: Students enjoy the City of Angels on two class trips. Examples might include a horseback ride high above the Hollywood sign or a studio taping of a television show.   >back to top Why is The Ladder Program different from other internship programs? The one-on-one and workshop development each student receives prior to arriving in Los Angeles gives those participating in this in-depth program a huge advantage. The pre-Los Angeles work allows The Ladder Program students to hit the ground running with a working insider knowledge of the industry. "Give someone a fish, they eat for a day. Teach someone to fish, they eat for a lifetime." This is the same approach The Ladder Program takes to finding an internship. Instead of placing students in openings at various companies, this highly supportive program guides each student through the process of the job hunt so they learn how to find a job. Students develop the skills that will be used over and over throughout their entertainment career.