ATLANTA — State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond announced that the Georgia Department of Labor’s 2009 Summer Internship Program will offer internships for up to 80 students. The internship program is designed to provide students at universities, colleges and technical colleges with practical work experience, an opportunity to earn school credit, and a chance to make up to $1,400 this summer.

“In the current economic climate, professional workplace experience provides a competitive edge to students entering the workforce,” said Thurmond. “Interns will complement their academic knowledge with professional work experience. They will work with the staff in career centers, vocational rehabilitation offices throughout the state, as well as our central office in downtown Atlanta. Internships with the Department of Labor have been highly successful in providing students with the tools needed to make them competitive in a challenging job market.”    

Interns will work 25 hours per week for seven weeks between June 15 and Aug. 14, and will be paid semi-monthly. The program is open primarily to college sophomores, juniors and seniors presently enrolled in a college, university or technical institute in the state, or a Georgia resident enrolled in a similar school in another state.

School credits may be earned, but interns are responsible for making arrangements with their respective institutions to obtain the credit. Interns will be selected on the basis of their interests, areas of expertise that will be enhanced by their work with the labor department, maturity level, and access to one of the department’s offices around the state. Whenever possible, the selected interns will be allowed to choose the office where they will work.

Applicants must submit an application and a one-page essay answering the following question: Why do you think internships are important?

Interns may also be required to complete a job interview conducted by a member of the department’s staff. Applications are available at any office of the state Department of Labor, on the department’s Web site at www.dol.state.ga.us, or by writing to Kyna Demons, Georgia Department of Labor, 148 Andrew Young International Blvd., Suite 600, N. E., Atlanta, GA 30303-1751.

The deadline to apply is April 30. Applications should be mailed to Kyna Demons at the above address, or faxed to (404) 656-2683. Students selected for the internship will be notified via mail beginning May 21. Questions about the internship program should be emailed to Kyna.Demons@dol.state.ga.us.