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Expansion of paid internship opportunities announced
February 5, 2026
Governor Abigail Spanberger yesterday launched InternshipsVA, a new statewide program to help Virginia employers design and launch high-quality, paid internships for higher education students in Virginia. The Commonwealth has committed $14.5 million each year to support this program.
The Governor was joined by leaders of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), the Virginia Business Higher Education Council (VBHEC), and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) at a ceremony in Richmond.
“Virginia’s students need more hands-on opportunities to connect with real-world careers,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “InternshipsVA aims to make sure every student educated in the Commonwealth has the chance to begin and build a lasting career right here in Virginia. By partnering with businesses to give students real‑world experience before graduation, we’re strengthening a talent pipeline that will drive Virginia’s economic growth for years to come. Together, we’re working to secure Virginia’s position as the nation’s top state for talent.”
“InternshipsVA is a dynamic network of resources built to connect Virginia businesses with the Commonwealth’s next generation of talent,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery. “InternshipsVA can match businesses with qualified, motivated interns who are ready to contribute from day one. By building these connections early, we’re helping ensure that the Commonwealth is the top destination for graduates when it comes time to launch their careers.”
“This initiative will create meaningful experiences for students to build real-world skills that prepare them not just for a job, but for life,” said Secretary of Education Jeffery Smith. “By expanding high-quality internship opportunities across Virginia, we are helping students connect what they learn in the classroom to practical experience and strengthening our workforce talent.”
“InternshipsVA exemplifies one of our most proven workforce development strategies, which is work-based learning. We know that getting real-world, on-the-job learning in tandem with classroom learning sets students up for early career success and better long-term career outcomes. This program will continue to help the Commonwealth engage employers in providing valuable, tangible talent development experiences for Virginians.”
Jessica Looman
Virginia Secretary of Labor
InternshipsVA is part of a larger statewide effort to develop, attract, and retain top talent in Virginia. InternshipsVA is funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program, and it assists Virginia employers interested in creating paid internship opportunities through tailored guidance and resources, matching grants, and recruitment tools. InternshipsVA will empower businesses by providing:
- Grants for small and mid-size Virginia employers that provide a 50% match for undergraduate interns’ wages
- Support from regional internship managers with program design and talent recruitment
- Streamlined recruitment through a partnership with Handshake, where employers can post internship opportunities at no cost
- Training and resources to equip employers with actionable strategies and insights from other employers
“Internships are a sound investment of time and resources for forward-thinking employers interested in proactively attracting, developing, and retaining talent, which is why four out of five businesses rank internships as their top return on investment for talent,” said VEDP Chief of Talent and Workforce Strategy Megan Healy. “Internships streamline recruitment, reduce hiring risk, and improve employee retention, and they are a key part of Virginia’s long-term commitment to being the top state for talent. With InternshipsVA, we are making sure every student earning a degree in the Commonwealth can start their career here even before they graduate.”
“Expanding affordable talent pathways and paid internships is a core priority of VBHEC’s Higher Education Impact Agenda,” VBHEC President Kirk Cox said. “Having long championed paid internships as a key talent initiative in the Commonwealth, VBHEC’s business and higher education leaders welcome the launch of this major push to encourage Virginia employers to start or expand internship programs. Our research shows strong, bipartisan support across Virginia for increased investment in talent. InternshipsVA responds to that demand by working with employers to develop, incentivize, and scale high-quality, paid internship opportunities, a critical component of the learning-to-earning pipeline that will help Virginia remain the top state for talent.”
“To be the best state for business, Virginia needs to be the best state for talent,” said Keith Martin, interim president and CEO of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. “Strengthening the education-to-workforce pipeline is essential to our economic future. InternshipsVA puts that vision into action by aligning business, education, and state partners around a shared talent strategy that works for students and employers alike.”
Employers interested in more information about InternshipsVA support and resources should visit: www.vedp.org/internshipsva.
