Harrisburg, PA – On his first day in office, Governor Josh Shapiro announced the doors of opportunity were wide open for those who want to serve our Commonwealth. Since then, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has been recognized as a top employer both nationally and statewide and was just named one of the Greatest Places to Intern in PA by the PA Chamber Foundation for creating dynamic, engaging, and educational experiences.
The Commonwealth hires an average of 600 high school and college students of all ages each year across more than 30 state agencies. This year, the Commonwealth has welcomed 729 interns so far, with more starting in the fall. All internships are paid.
“The Shapiro Administration recognizes the value of preparing today’s students to succeed as tomorrow’s workforce. For many, internships are a vital bridge from the classroom to a career, and we are honored to be part of the journey with hundreds of students every year,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “By investing in the next generation, we are strengthening our state government, serving Pennsylvanians more effectively, and offering meaningful careers where you can make a difference and a living. We appreciate the PA Chamber Foundation’s recognition of our efforts.”
“Congratulations to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the other ‘Greatest Places to Intern in PA’ winners for working to ensure that Pennsylvania students have access to world-class internships,” said PA Chamber Foundation President Luke Bernstein. “The Commonwealth is a proven leader when it comes to supporting students and strengthening Pennsylvania’s public sector workforce. The PA Chamber is proud to partner with the Commonwealth and other employers to inspire the next generation to stay and build their careers in Pennsylvania.”
The Commonwealth’s internships offer diverse, real-world opportunities to gain experience and explore career paths with state government. They include enterprise internship programs managed by the Office of Administration (OA) and agency-run internships tailored to specific professions and fields. OA is currently piloting a targeted soft skills program called the Intern Academy to help students 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, positioning students for long-term career success. OA will use lessons from the pilot to refine the Academy and expand it to additional interns.
The Shapiro Administration is making the state government workforce stronger and more competitive so that Commonwealth agencies will continue to have highly qualified and dedicated public servants to address the needs of Pennsylvanians. This began on Governor Shapiro’s first day with an executive order to allow qualified applicants without college degrees to compete for state jobs and has continued with initiatives focused on recruitment, hiring, retention, and development. They include expanding internship, apprenticeship, and fellowship programs to offer work-based learning opportunities and experience in public service, reducing hiring time by 40 percent to be more competitive in the job market and quickly fill critical vacancies, and enhancing benefits to support employees and their families. These strategic efforts have expanded and continued under the Governor’s Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee led by OA.
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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