From Classroom to Career—Stepping Stones Makes the Leap Easy
A free, in-person program for recent high school graduates (≤ 3 years) that builds professional skills and connects you to an 8-week paid internship. Employers gain motivated, pre-trained entry-level talent supported by FM Talent.
Downloads open editable forms. Prefer a web form? Use the contact form below.
What is Stepping Stones?
Stepping Stones is an 18-hour, in-person workforce readiness program that equips emerging talent with the mindsets and skills employers want on day one: growth mindset, professionalism, communication, customer service, workplace etiquette, time management, and accountability. It’s a mission-driven initiative within FM Talent; partner contributions are reinvested to expand impact and fund paid internships.
At-a-Glance
- 18 hours of in-person training
- 2 weeks, Tue–Thu evenings
- 8-week paid internship pathway
- Corporate mentor for each intern
- Free for participants; limited spots
Curriculum Highlights (18 Hours)
- Own your development
- Office etiquette & email basics
- Reliability & accountability
- Customer service fundamentals
- Presentation skills
- Conflict navigation
- Prioritization
- Calendar & task systems
- Intro to LinkedIn
For Employers & Hiring Leaders
Host an 8-week paid intern and strengthen your early-career pipeline. Our graduates arrive trained in soft skills and supported by FM Talent. Roles are flexible (Admin, HR, Recruiting, IT, Finance, Ops, Customer Service) and we customize matches to fit your team’s needs.
Note: Partner investment covers intern compensation; any margin is reinvested to expand impact and quality.
- Submit partner interest form
- Define role & mentor
- We match pre-trained interns
- 8-week paid internship (with support)
- Hire with $0 conversion fee (optional)
For Schools & Community Organizations
Help us reach graduates who will thrive with access, mentorship, and exposure. We partner with high schools, workforce boards, youth nonprofits, churches, and community centers to recruit participants, host info sessions, and co-create success pathways.
- Digital flyers & counselor kits
- Info session slide deck
- Application & parent FAQs
- Alumni speaker visits
Outcomes That Matter
Frequently Asked Questions
Request More Information
Prefer email? info@fmtalent.com
- Dates: Nov 11–13 & Nov 18–20, 2025
- Time: 4:30–7:30 PM (Tues–Thurs)
- Location: FM Talent Office, Silver Spring, MD
- Eligibility: HS grads ≤ 3 years; must have transportation
- Cost: Free to participants
Request More Information
Tell us a bit about you and we’ll follow up shortly.
Request More Information
Tell us a bit about you and we’ll follow up shortly.
Request More Information
Tell us a bit about you and we’ll follow up shortly.
<!-- Replace ACTION_URL with your webhook/Mailchimp form action.
For Mailchimp add hidden inputs: name="u" value="MAILCHIMP_U" and name="id" value="MAILCHIMP_ID" -->
<form action="ACTION_URL" method="post" style="margin-top:10px">
<input type="hidden" name="source" value="Squarespace Info Modal">
<div class="form-row">
<input class="in" name="name" placeholder="Full Name" required>
<input class="in" name="email" type="email" placeholder="Email" required>
</div>
<input class="in" name="organization" placeholder="Organization (if any)" style="margin-top:10px">
<select class="in" name="audience" style="margin-top:10px">
<option>I'm a Graduate/Intern</option>
<option>I'm an Employer/Partner</option>
<option>I'm a Community Partner</option>
<option>Other</option>
</select>
<textarea class="in" name="message" placeholder="How can we help?" style="margin-top:10px"></textarea>
<div style="display:flex;justify-content:flex-end;gap:8px;margin-top:12px">
<button type="button" class="ss-btn btn-ghost" data-close-modal>Cancel</button>
<button type="submit" class="ss-btn btn-dark">Submit</button>
</div>
</form>