The report describes the first year of development and present operation of the Career Intern Program (CIP), a component of the Urban Career Education Center's alternative school for high school dropouts and potential dropouts. The purpose of the program, operated by the Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America under a contract from the National Institute of Education, is to provide opportunities for students with school problems to achieve their career aspirations. The program begins with 10 weeks of intensive orientation, counseling, and career investigation. Its second phase, lasting from 11 weeks to four semesters, features individualized instruction in basic academic subjects integrated with education; career exploration and hands-on experience highlight this phase. Disadvantages of the program's informality have included manipulation of staff by some students, conflicting staff standards for academic credit, and the great effort required to retrain the staff. Advantages have included a personalized school atmosphere liked by the interns, students' feelings of acceptance, and program flexibility. The document recounts the program's development, describes its students and the short-term effect on them, identifies those for whom the program works best, presents followup data, and discusses the program's implications. (Author/AJ)