The Sandhills Task Force is now accepting applications for the 2026 season of Sandhills Ranch Internship and Apprenticeship Programs.
The Sandhills Ranch Internship is a paid, three-month summer-long internship. Interns will explore a career in agriculture through hands-on experiences in ranching, livestock production, and rangeland management. Task Force Internship Manager KyLee Kime described the program to KCNI/KBBN:
“We began the Sandhills Ranch Internship Program three years ago, we’re going to be going into our four season here in 2026,” Kime explained. “It’s an internship program and not just hired summer help. We partner with skilled ranchers to provide this three-month internship from May 15th to August 15th. The ranch provides housing and a partial board. And then we also encourage the interns to attend the educational event in the summer, either go to a young adult ranching for profit seminar or the grazing school or they get to select what event they would like to attend. And those events are reimbursed by the Sandhills Task Force for the intern.”
The Sandhills Ranch Apprenticeship program is new for the 2026 Season. From March through November, Connealy Angus will welcome an apprentice ready to gain hands-on ranching experience, strengthen skills, deepen knowledge of livestock production, and grow in confidence throughout the seasons.
Interns in years past have been drawn to the Sandhills from across the Great Plains – from Texas to North Dakota, and beyond. According to Kime, the opportunity to really engage in the daily operations of a ranch is a big part of the experience.
“Well, this ranch internship in the Sandhills is really a very unique experience,” said Kime. “There’s not too many opportunities to be partnered up with a skilled ranch where they bring you in and welcome you onto their ranch and provide you housing and includes you in that day to day ranch life.
You know, learning skills and livestock handling and everything that they have to do on that ranch to keep it going.”
Candidates for the program are passionate about agriculture, have a strong interest in ranching and range management, and are eager to learn. Eligible applicants must be at least 19 years old at the start of the internship. Applications from all individuals, students, non-students, and veterans are welcomed.
The deadline to apply for 2026 Sandhills Ranch Internships is January 5, 2026. The deadline to apply for the 2026 Apprenticeship is December 15th, 2025.
For questions about Sandhills Ranch Internship and Apprenticeship Programs, contact Sandhills Task Force Internship Coordinator KyLee Kime at 308-340-2781 or [email protected]. For more information and to apply, visit www.sandhillstaskforce.org
