Post Date: 12/21/2022 

Contact: Laura Osberger
lauraosberger@schev.edu
(804) 387-5191

For Immediate Release

December 21, 2022

RICHMOND - A state grant will fund a regional effort that will increase the number of high-quality paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities for students in Southwest Virginia. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) awarded the $250,000 grant to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA-Wise). The grant is part of the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, also known as the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership, whose purpose is to expand paid and credit-bearing student internships and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers.

Grant funds will be used to connect employers to students and ensure the readiness of employers, students and higher education institutions to increase significantly the number of high-quality paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities in the region. In addition to the collaboration with other higher education institutions in the region, partnering with UVA-Wise are the Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing, the Southwest Virginia Society for Human Resources Management, and the United Way of Southwest Virginia, which leads two key programs: The Ignite Internship Program connects high school students at 17 different school divisions to employers for paid internships and the SWVA Expo brings nearly 4,000 middle school students together to experience hands-on opportunities for various careers.

UVA-Wise joins the University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech, Virginia Commonwealth University (in partnership with ChamberRVA), Old Dominion University and the University of Virginia (in partnership with Virginia Career Works – Piedmont), all of which are leading similar efforts in their respective regions. SCHEV plans to award a total of nine grants across the Commonwealth by 2024.

Grant awardees to date have convened multiple partners, including employers, public school systems, community colleges, other public and private institutions of higher education, chambers of commerce, economic development partnerships and industry associations to recruit new employer partners interested in hosting interns and support those companies through the process.

Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University received their grants in late spring 2021 and have engaged hundreds of area employers for in-person and virtual workshops, round table discussions and informal “coffee hours” focused on work-based learning. Other events have provided the opportunity for students to meet company representatives and ask questions about their internship programs. UVA and ODU received grant awards in spring 2022 and began offering services to employers and students over the summer. UMW received funding in August 2022.

The Commonwealth’s Innovative Internship Fund and Program (branded as the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership) is funded by the General Assembly. SCHEV administers the program in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation.