NC College Students Begin 10-Week State Government Internship Program 86 students will spend summer working in state government

Today, 86 students, representing 24 North Carolina counties, will embark on a 10-week educational internship experience at North Carolina state government agencies. This year, the program features more than 80 projects ranging from digital research to curriculum development, offering students hands-on practical work experience in the career field of their choice.

“For more than half a century, this program has been instrumental in nurturing the interest of North Carolina students in public service while also preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow,” said NC Department of Administration Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “These students are among our state’s best and brightest and it is our hope they will pursue a career in state government upon graduation.”

The State of North Carolina Internship program kicked off today with a virtual orientation where students learned about job expectations, enrichment opportunities and had the opportunity to ask questions in a Q&A session. The summer internships include both in-person and hybrid work environments.

Thirteen state agencies are offering internships in careers ranging from water quality support to museum veterinary medicine, construction engineering, business analysis, communications and public affairs, human resources, policy and advocacy, youth involvement outreach and animal husbandry among others. In addition to gaining practical work experience, students will also tour various facilities to learn about other government operations and careers with the state.

Coordinated by the Department of Administration’s Council for Women and Youth Involvement, the State of North Carolina Internship Program offers college students an opportunity to connect lessons learned in the classroom to potential career choices throughout the state. Established in 1969, the Internship Program has provided state government work opportunities to North Carolina residents attending college, university, technical or community college.

The highly competitive internship process begins each fall when the application period opens. Applicants are interviewed, selected and matched with agencies in the spring; a process that is overseen by the NC Internship Council. More than 3,000 students applied for the 86 internship positions. To learn more about the State of North Carolina Internship Program, visit the website.

2025 Participating State Agencies: Administration (NCDOA), Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Commerce, Environmental Quality (DEQ), General Assembly, Health and Human Services (DHHS), Judicial Branch, Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR), Office of State Human Resources (OSHR), Office of the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and Public Safety (DPS).

About NCDOA and the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement
The NC Department of Administration acts as the business manager for North Carolina state government. Under the leadership of Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza, the department oversees government operations and advocacy programs. The department's advocacy programs help to promote and assist diverse segments of the state's population that have been traditionally underserved. The North Carolina Council for Women and Youth Involvement is a division of NCDOA. Their mission is to advise the governor, state legislators and state leaders on issues impacting women and youth.