Virginia Centralizes State Internship Programs to Benefit Students, Workforce

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger recently signed a law creating a Virginia State Internship coordinator position, designed to improve how students and recent graduates gain workforce experience through state agencies.

On June 12, 2026, Gov. Abigail Spanberger was joined by student interns from agencies across the commonwealth and the 2026 Governor’s Fellows as she signed bipartisan legislation creating Virginia’s first State Internship Coordinator. The new role will strengthen state internship programs and expand opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in public service and build successful careers in Virginia. (Photo courtesy of the Virginia Governor’s Office)

In 2019, Virginia established the Innovative Internship Fund and Program to expand paid and credit-bearing internships statewide, reinforcing the commonwealth’s commitment to workforce development. The new role builds on that foundation, as does the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, which helps connect students and government agencies with these opportunities.

Then in 2023, the Department of Human Resource Management, in partnership with the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia and V-TOP, created the COVA Internship Connection Pilot, which uses the V-TOP system to help agencies recruit interns.

The COVA Internship Connection Pilot was designed to be a temporary, multi-agency initiative during and after the COVID pandemic, so students studying remotely could still find meaningful, paid or unpaid work-based learning through the state government.

When Spanberger signed legislation carried by Sen. Lashrecse Aird, D-Henrico, and Del. Rip Sullivan, D-Fairfax, the pilot was transformed into a permanent, centrally managed program.

“This is a great example of what the commonwealth can do to provide real-world opportunities for young, talented people entering the workforce,” Spanberger said in a statement on Friday. “Virginia is the top state for talent in America, and one of the most powerful tools we have is making sure talented students stay and grow right here in Virginia.”

The legislation aims to centralize internship outreach, streamline application processes, and provide agency support, making internships more visible and accessible to all students, including those from under-resourced schools and students with disabilities.

The legislation strengthens data collection and program tracking to measure internship results and enhance Virginia’s long-term workforce development.

“Internships are an essential opportunity to provide young people with on-the-job experience, and employers access to the workforce of the future,” Sullivan said in a statement. “As one of the largest employers in Virginia, it is imperative that the Virginia state government lead by example by expanding quality internships and attracting talent to support its vital mission.”

As someone who started her public service with a state government internship, Aird said she knows firsthand how transformative such opportunities can be for young people. She cited Virginia’s aging public workforce as a driver of the new law that will help develop the next generation of public servants.

“By strengthening and coordinating internship opportunities across state government, we can build a workforce that better reflects the communities it serves and ensure Virginia remains prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow,” Aird said.

Max Berckmueller, who graduated early from the College of William & Mary in 2023, credits his internships at multiple state agencies with helping him reach his goal of gaining real experience and making a tangible difference in his fellow Virginians’ lives.

Now working as a data analyst with the Department of the Treasury, Berckmueller helps review monetary and budgetary matters for the state.

“Conducting a budget or fiscal analysis, and seeing how the Department of Planning and Budget is taking that into account and changing their decisions based on the analysis that I did…that’s pretty cool,” Berckmueller said.

“You might not get those kinds of opportunities at the federal government, but the state always needs a lot of help, and there’s always a lot to do,” he added.

Spanberger also launched InternshipsVA, a statewide initiative to connect students with paid internships and strengthen Virginia’s workforce, as one of her first major economic development announcements at the start of her term. Recently, the program won a national Business Facilities 2026 Economic Development Organization (EDO) award.

Funding for the new position is included in the House and Senate’s budget proposals, which lawmakers are working to reconcile and finalize ahead of a June 30 deadline. The position is estimated to cost annually $172,224.

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