CHARLESTON -- Now is a great time for college students to start thinking about summer employment opportunities and apply for the Governor's Internship Program.
For more than 15 years, this program has matched students with private businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies willing to host interns.
Designed to encourage college students to remain in West Virginia after graduation, the Governor's Internship Program offers opportunities for not only our state's college students, but also for West Virginia employers. By identifying the needs of the employer and the interests of each applicant, the Governor's Internship Program has had success placing young people into rewarding and challenging summer jobs.
Participants in the program obtain real-life work experience, including interviewing for internship opportunities, working in a business-like setting, building upon classroom knowledge and networking with fellow students as well as with state and business leaders.
Students also gain important references for the future and may use the internship experience to evaluate current and future career choices.
In the past, bi-weekly sessions have been offered on an array of topics, ranging from how to write a resume to how to apply for graduate scholarships.
For a student to be eligible to participate in the Governor's Internship Program, he or she must:
- Be a student in a West Virginia college or university, or a West Virginia resident attending an accredited college or university elsewhere;
- Have completed at least one academic year of study at an accredited college or university by June of the same year the applicant applies; and,
- Have a cumulative college/university GPA of 3.0 or greater.
The application process is simple. Students can visit the program Web site at www.wvgip.org to complete and submit their application electronically. The application deadline for the program is June 1.
In addition, private businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies are encouraged to sign up to host an intern this summer. Employers interested in the program may complete and submit online as well.
For more information on this leadership opportunity, please visit www.wvgip.org or contact the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, at (304) 558-2440.