Harrisburg, PA – Under the leadership of Governor Josh Shapiro, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been named a recipient of the PA Chamber Foundation’s Greatest Places to Intern in PA awards for a second consecutive year. The awards recognize Pennsylvania employers for providing dynamic, engaging, and educational experiences that prepare students to succeed in their future careers.
This is the latest in a series of statewide and national accolades for the Commonwealth as the Shapiro Administration continues to expand opportunities for Pennsylvanians seeking careers in public service, build a more competitive Commonwealth workforce, and make state government the best place to work in the Commonwealth.
“The Commonwealth’s internships are designed to give students the opportunity to do meaningful work and contribute to projects that are making a difference for Pennsylvanians,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “Internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs are investments in Pennsylvania’s workforce and future. We are honored to be recognized again by the PA Chamber Foundation as a leading employer supporting career development for Pennsylvania workers.”
The Commonwealth hires an average of 600 high school and college students of all ages each year, across more than 30 state agencies. Throughout 2026, the Shapiro Administration has welcomed 962 interns, with more starting in the fall – the largest-ever cohort of interns. This includes 28 Pennsylvania college students with disabilities participating in the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Summer Internship Program – the largest cohort in program history. All Commonwealth internships are paid at least $17.88 per hour.
"We're proud to recognize the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as one of the Greatest Places to Intern in PA,” said Luke Bernstein, President and CEO of the PA Chamber. “Building a strong workforce starts with creating meaningful opportunities for students to gain real-world experience, and the Commonwealth is investing in the next generation of talent. Pennsylvania is home to employers across every sector that are helping students launch successful careers, and we're grateful to have the Commonwealth as a partner in that effort."
The Commonwealth offers enterprise internship programs managed by the Office of Administration (OA) as well as agency-run internships tailored to specific professions and fields, including a targeted soft skills program called the Intern Academy to help students learn how to navigate the workplace. Interns are offered a structured curriculum focused on transitioning from academic life into the workforce, covering workplace skills such as time management, critical thinking versus problem solving, conflict styles, and best practices for job interviews. These transitional skills lay the groundwork for employment in today’s workplaces and position students for long-term career success after graduation.
OA has also expanded fellowship and apprenticeship opportunities across state agencies. Since 2023, state agencies have hosted more than 35 fellows in policy, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs. Additionally, OA has leveraged apprenticeships as a pathway for information technology careers.
Shapiro Administration’s Work to Strengthen the Commonwealth’s Workforce
The Shapiro Administration is making the state government workforce stronger and more competitive so that Commonwealth agencies can continue to attract highly qualified and dedicated employees to deliver programs and services that millions of their fellow Pennsylvanians rely upon.
In 2024, Governor Shapiro signed the Hire, Improve, Recruit, and Empower (HIRE) Executive Order to expand work-based learning opportunities such as internships, apprenticeships, and fellowship programs, enhance benefits that support Commonwealth employees and their families, and enhance recruitment, hiring, retention, and development. Since then, the Shapiro Administration has made real progress, from expanding child care for Commonwealth employees with families and completing a comprehensive accessibility study of the State Capitol Complex, to laying the groundwork for an orientation and mentoring program for new hires who are veterans.
In addition to being recognized as one of the Greatest Places to Intern in PA by the PA Chamber Foundation in 2025 and 2026 under the Shapiro Administration, this progress has led to the Commonwealth being ranked among the Best-In-State Employers by Forbes and Statista in 2023 and 2025, and ranked one of the Best Employers for New Grads in 2023.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to employment.pa.gov to browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and be notified when new jobs are available. Pennsylvanians can also explore internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships through the Commonwealth at the Launch Your Career page.
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