Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration is welcoming 15 individuals with advanced degrees to fellowship programs designed to strengthen policymaking and bring cutting edge research and innovation to state agencies. The Governor’s Science and Technology and William and Hannah Penn Fellows will work on targeted projects aligned to their areas of expertise.
"The Commonwealth’s fellowships bring some of the best and brightest minds to state government to help us address real-world challenges that affect people and communities across Pennsylvania. This is hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves work that will make a real difference," said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. "We look forward to seeing what they accomplish during their time with the Commonwealth.”
The Governor’s Science and Technology Fellowship is a one-year program that provides a pathway for master’s- or doctorate-level candidates into STEM careers in state government. Fellows are matched with state agencies to work on targeted projects based on their field of study. The 2025 Sci-Tech fellows will serve in the Departments of Community & Economic Development, Conservation & Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, Health, and Transportation. The fellows will work on projects focused on improving data insights, visualization, and decision-making and modernizing technology to improve program management and efficiency.
The William & Hannah Penn Fellowship is a two-year program that gives aspiring professionals with master's and other advanced degrees the chance to work with the state's top executive leaders within state agencies on a variety of policy projects. This year’s cohort will serve in the Departments of Agriculture, Community & Economic Development, Environmental Protection, General Services, Health, Military and Veteran Affairs, Revenue, and the Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The fellows will focus on policy topics that include artificial intelligence, gun violence, surplus property, land use and zoning, and regulations for certain medical facilities.
Following the completion of their fellowships, participants may be offered a permanent position with the Commonwealth.
The fellowship programs are a part of a continuing effort by the Shapiro Administration to create new pathways to careers in public service with the Commonwealth. Governor Shapiro signed the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) executive order last year to strengthen the workforce across state agencies through strategic initiatives that include expanding internship, apprenticeship, and fellowship opportunities to help build a pipeline of future Commonwealth innovators and leaders. Since then, OA has also launched the CODE PA Digital Experience Internship and the Information Technology Help Desk Apprenticeship, and welcomed another cohort of Office of Vocational Rehabilitation interns this past summer.
Since Governor Shapiro took office, the Shapiro Administration has prioritized strengthening the Commonwealth workforce and filling critical vacancies as more state employees become eligible to retire. There has been a 17.5 percent increase in the number of Millennial employees and a 180 percent increase in the number of Gen Z employees working in state agencies. Together, they now account for nearly half of the Commonwealth workforce. The overall vacancy rate is down by 3 percent from its peak during the pandemic, with new hires outpacing retirements in 2024.
To learn more about working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, job seekers can visit Employment.pa.gov to browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and receive notifications about new vacancies in their field. Pennsylvanians can also explore the Commonwealth's growing selection of internship, apprenticeship, and fellowship opportunities on the Launch Your Career page on Employment.pa.gov.
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