We meet students where they are. CILI is a New Orleans, Louisiana, nonprofit bridging the gap between higher education and meaningful employment for underrepresented college students of color across the state. Through mentorship, internships, and career readiness programming, CILI addresses persistent systemic disparities in access to high-paying careers and professional networks, advancing career equity and workforce development throughout the New Orleans region.

Our Programs Include:

Hire Learning$ Sessions

Hire Learning$ provides introductory workshops on career-readiness topics such as resume writing, interviewing skills, workplace etiquette, effective networking, and more.

These engaging and interactive sessions are curated specifically for college students and are offered both in-person and virtually to college students regardless of ethnicity, location, classification, or major. Learn More

CILI Fellowship Program

The CILI Fellowship Program is a more intensive, selective-admission internship program offering career coaching, resources, and multi-year paid internship experiences for Louisiana students. Since 2021, this college-to-career program in Louisiana has equipped over 100 college students, many of them first-generation and underrepresented college students in New Orleans, with the skills, connections, and experience they need to attain and succeed in corporate careers. This summer alone, CILI, a New Orleans, Louisiana nonprofit, has placed over 60+ Fellows into paid internships, advancing workforce development in New Orleans while helping improve the hiring practices of 30+ local employers across the city.

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Career Bridge Fellowship Program

The Career Bridge Program provides students who are within 3 - 12 months of completing their academic degree with focused career coaching to help them transition post college graduation. Students create personalized career plans, participate in facilitated networking opportunities, and are connected to skill-building opportunities to enhance their resume and professional acumen.

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CILI was founded in 2019 by entrepreneur and human resources executive Perry Sholes, in response to deep‑seated systemic disparities he observed in Louisiana while working with leading consumer products companies. He recognized the need for an organization that connects local first-generation college students—especially Black students who often face compounded racial and economic barriers—to corporate employers who routinely overlook talent from those communities.

Despite rising rates of higher education, Black college graduates in Louisiana continue to be underrepresented in high-wage professions, even in the presence of six HBCUs in the state. Without access to established professional networks, many first-generation graduates struggle to translate academic credentials into career advancement—perpetuating racial gaps in generational wealth. 

Brookings and other researchers report that even Black college graduates on average hold far less wealth than similarly educated white peers (newyorker.com). In New Orleans, white households have approximately 13 times the wealth of Black households—making even college-educated Black individuals less likely to accumulate long-term financial stability (news.unitedforequity.org).

Meanwhile, Louisiana faces ongoing talent retention challenges. While there are college- and career-readiness programs for high school students, no other initiative matches CILI’s scale in supporting first-generation college students—especially Black students—in achieving professional success and remaining in Louisiana’s workforce.

Internship Central

This regional job portal is designed exclusively for college students, connecting them with tailored internship opportunities. Internship Central also provides invaluable tips and resources to empower interns in gaining valuable work experience. Ready to take the next step in your career journey? Explore opportunities now!

1. Click the button below 
2. Create Your Profile 
3. Upload Your Resume

• Interns must be in school and be able to provide a recent grade report.
• Graduate students are welcome!
• Students from technical and community colleges are welcome!

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