Summer Government Interns Meet in the State House

This summer 39 student interns are serving in state, regional, and municipal government offices in Maine.  The interns recently convened in Augusta  to each discuss their summer internship position and tasks. Hosted in a wide range of government agencies and offices, the internships vary greatly in content, with topics ranging from communications, geographic information systems, and education policy to traffic design and wildlife monitoring.  The interns heard a presentation about the status of Maine’s labor market and workforce from Ruth Pease of the Center for Workforce Research and Information. The afternoon was spent at the State House hearing from staff in partisan and non-partisan offices about their work and how they came to their jobs. While most interns had been to the State House before, for many it was their first visit and chance to hear from the dedicated people who contribute to the Maine Legislature.

The Maine Government Summer Internship Program, administered by the Policy Center, was started in 1967 to provide opportunities for students to contribute to government and benefit from the work experience. Internships last twelve weeks and are full-time paid employment in a state agency, municipal or regional government, or quasi governmental organization.