Top 10 Tech Apprenticeships, Internships and Entry-Level Jobs in Topeka, KS in 2026

Table of Contents

• Start Your Tech Career in Topeka
• Kansas Registered IT Apprenticeship
• Washburn Tech IT Apprenticeships
• Stormont Vail Health Non-Clinical IT Internship
• State of Kansas Agency IT Internships
• Year Up United
• Per Scholas
• Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers Internships
• Washburn University Student IT Employment
• Advisors Excel Web & Digital Internships
• Kansas Micro-Internship Program
• Frequently Asked Questions

Kansas Registered IT Apprenticeship

Topping our list is the statewide initiative with the most proven track record for building lasting tech careers. Managed by the Kansas Department of Commerce, this registered apprenticeship connects candidates directly with employers for paid, on-the-job training in IT Support, Networking, and Cybersecurity.

The model is a serious commitment with a serious payoff. Compensation often starts at $20+ per hour, with programs lasting 1-4 years and including dedicated mentorship. The outcomes speak for themselves: a 91% job placement rate upon completion, with a 93% retention rate, as confirmed by state reports. This gold-standard pathway is explicitly designed to scale into mid-sized cities like Topeka, backed by significant state investment including over $1 million in recent grant funding to expand opportunities.

For those seeking a stable, state-backed entry into tech, this "earn while you learn" program offers a direct route to occupational proficiency and long-term employment. Applications are on a rolling basis, with specific grant-funded cohorts announced through the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship.

Washburn Tech IT Apprenticeships

Serving as a critical local bridge from education to career, Washburn Institute of Technology links students directly to Topeka-area business partners through structured apprenticeships. These programs often align with Washburn Tech’s technical certificate courses, which typically span two semesters, and integrate paid, hands-on experience with local companies.

The specific value lies in this hyper-local connection. While compensation varies by employer partner, students gain industry-standard skills in Design & Technology or Information Technology under the combined guidance of faculty and workplace supervisors. This model creates a direct connection to Topeka’s business community, with many apprenticeships leading to immediate career placement upon completion.

Application timelines align with fall and spring enrollment cycles. Prospective students should target key events like the Career Fairs held in March to connect with employers for upcoming cohorts. For a focused, local solution that leverages established business relationships, exploring Washburn Tech’s apprenticeship pathways is a strategic first step.

Stormont Vail Health Non-Clinical IT Internship

Healthcare represents one of Topeka's most critical and stable sectors, and Stormont Vail Health’s internship offers a unique entry point into its technological backbone. This 10-week summer program is designed for college seniors, providing paid, hands-on experience implementing and optimizing IT solutions within a live clinical setting.

Interns work alongside experienced healthcare IT teams at the Topeka campus, gaining irreplaceable insight into high-stakes environments covering data analysis, system integrations, and IT support. The program is explicitly engineered to address the community's need for healthcare professionals, creating a direct hiring pipeline. As Stormont Vail emphasizes, they are deeply invested in supporting and cultivating future local talent.

For the application cycle, anticipate a window similar to previous years, where the deadline fell in early April. This internship is a prime example of planting a career in the fertile ground of an essential local institution, where technology directly supports community well-being. More details are available through the Stormont Vail Health careers portal.

State of Kansas Agency IT Internships

With so many major agencies headquartered in the capital city, internships with the State of Kansas provide a strategic launchpad into public sector technology. Agencies like the Department of Administration offer paid roles, with recent listings for student workers in the $10-$12 per hour range for seasonal or year-round part-time positions.

These roles deliver practical experience with government IT infrastructure, public sector software maintenance, and help desk support under professional supervision within state IT departments. This experience is invaluable, as noted by professionals within the Kansas Office of Information Technology Services, who highlight working on projects that impact public services. The internships frequently serve as a direct bridge to full-time state employment upon graduation - a significant advantage given the stability and benefits of public sector jobs.

For the best summer opportunities, begin your search on the state's job portal during winter break. It’s a foundational step into a sector where tech talent is essential for modernization and data-driven governance.

Year Up United

While based in Kansas City, this national career development program is a formidable, regionally accessible option for Topeka residents. Year Up United provides a year-long, tuition-free pathway for young adults (18-29), comprising six months of intensive training in IT Support or Data Analytics followed by a six-month corporate internship.

The program's outcomes are powerful, with 85% of graduates employed or enrolled in school within four months of completion. Participants receive a weekly stipend of approximately $260 during their training and internship phases. This model offers Topeka applicants access to the larger Kansas City tech ecosystem and its corporate partners while allowing them to retain the significant advantage of Topeka’s lower cost of living.

The program features rolling admissions, with specific cycles like the Fall 2025 cohort having set deadlines. For those willing to commute or engage in a hybrid model, Year Up represents a strategic investment, planting career roots in the regional market while living in a more affordable metro.

Per Scholas

Another Kansas City-based powerhouse, Per Scholas provides rigorous, tuition-free technical training for beginners and career changers seeking a fast-paced transition. Its model is recognized by organizations like Jobs for the Future as a critical pathway into tech.

The program's 12- to 15-week bootcamp-style courses in Cybersecurity, IT Support, and Software Engineering are tightly aligned with Kansas City market demand. While primarily in-person, some hybrid options offer flexibility, and all participants receive 1:1 guidance from industry professionals and career coaches.

With an intense focus on job placement through national employer partners, this debt-free training represents a high-impact investment. For dedicated Topeka residents, the commute to Kansas City unlocks access to this robust ecosystem while retaining the financial advantage of Topeka's lower cost of living. Interested candidates should monitor the Per Scholas Kansas City site for 2026 cohort dates and application windows.

Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers Internships

Exclusive to Topeka Public Schools students, the Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers (TCALC) represents one of the most forward-thinking high school pathways in the state. This program allows juniors and seniors to fast-forward their careers by gaining professional IT experience through paid internships during the academic semester or year.

Students earn $10 per hour while learning project management, IT fundamentals, and industry-standard tools, with instruction and modeling provided directly by local business partners. This isn't just another classroom - it's a deliberate immersion into the professional world, embedding real-world experience at the very start of a tech journey. You can get a sense of the program's environment and philosophy through this introductory video from Topeka Public Schools.

TCALC is designed as a strategic "fast forward" into college degrees or high-skill jobs, effectively planting the seeds for a tech career years before traditional pathways even begin. It demonstrates how Topeka's ecosystem cultivates homegrown talent from the ground up, providing a unique competitive edge for local students.

Washburn University Student IT Employment

For currently enrolled Washburn University students, on-campus IT roles provide an accessible, low-pressure environment to cultivate essential skills. These part-time positions, typically 10-15 hours per week at $10-$12 per hour, offer practical experience in campus tech support, network troubleshooting, and software help desk operations.

Supervised by university IT staff who prioritize student development, these jobs are designed to impart what the university calls "Career Ready" skills. This hands-on experience frequently serves as a direct conduit to more advanced external internships and full-time positions, building professional confidence alongside technical proficiency.

Positions are posted year-round on the university’s internal job platforms. Students can explore current opportunities and learn more about the application process through the official Washburn University Student Employment portal. This on-campus ecosystem allows students to plant the first seeds of their tech career without leaving the supportive environment of their academic home, blending work and learning in a single, fertile location.

Advisors Excel Web & Digital Internships

As a major private employer with a significant and growing Topeka footprint, Advisors Excel offers a valuable corporate-style tech internship opportunity without leaving the city. The company frequently posts paid, summer or semester-long roles in web design, digital marketing, and internal tech support, providing a professional environment within established tech and creative teams.

These internships are designed to offer substantive experience, with a high potential for return offers for strong performers. This makes them a strategic entry point into Topeka's private sector, allowing interns to cultivate skills and professional relationships within a major local corporation. For those seeking to plant their career in fertile corporate ground, it represents a prime local opportunity.

Prospective applicants should monitor the company's careers page closely. Additionally, resources like Washburn University’s internship guides and the Career Engagement office often list these opportunities and provide application support, with Spring postings typically becoming active in early March.

Kansas Micro-Internship Program

For Kansas college students seeking flexible, low-risk exposure to professional tech work, the state-funded Micro-Internship Program offers an ingenious solution. Facilitated through platforms like Parker Dewey, these initiatives provide short-term, paid professional projects typically spanning 10-40 hours, with compensation averaging $500 per project.

The beauty of this model is its minimal barrier to entry and maximum flexibility. Students can complete tasks like data entry, website updates, or IT research remotely, treating each project as a professional "trial run." This approach allows for exploring different tech specializations while building a portfolio of tangible, real-world work. As highlighted in internship resources, these experiences are designed to "demonstrate initiative to Kansas employers" with minimal initial commitment.

Funded by state grants, the program represents a modern approach to workforce development. Students can discover and apply for these micro-opportunities by registering on the Parker Dewey platform, where Kansas businesses post project needs. It’s an ideal way to plant multiple small, strategic career seeds, any of which might grow into a longer-term internship or full-time role within the local ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions