"Internships can be a meaningful step in a college student's career development. That's why the commonwealth of Virginia is working to guarantee that undergraduates have a fair shot at paid experiential learning. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership announced a new collaboration today with the job board Handshake as part of the state's effort to train and retain local talent through internship opportunities."
"State of play: Internships provide students with skills and experience for future careers, but for many of them paid internships remain out of reach. A 2024 report from the Business-Higher Education Forum found that nearly half of students who wanted an internship didn't participate in one, and of those who did, only 70 percent said it was a "high-quality experience.""
Virginia committed to giving all undergraduate students at least one form of meaningful work-based learning before graduation, overseen by the Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership and including experiential learning or paid internships. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership partnered with Handshake to expand internship and entry-level opportunities and to retain local talent. The effort aims to reduce brain drain and support local economic development. Surveys show internship access gaps: a 2024 Business-Higher Education Forum report found nearly half of students who wanted internships didn't participate and only 70 percent of participants reported high-quality experiences. A 2025 Student Voice survey found 38 percent want help accessing paid internships and 30 percent want stronger employer connections. Internship postings dropped 36 percent in June 2025.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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