Castleton University Awarded Vermont Internship Program Grant

$25,000 Grant funded by the VT Department of Labor will support workforce readiness

Castleton, VT (06/03/2021) — Castleton University has been named the recipient of a $25,000 Vermont Internship Program Grant, funded by the Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL). This funding will be used to develop the Castleton Vermont Internship Program, which will provide $1,500 in need-based stipends to low-income and first-generation Castleton students completing internships.

Vermont Internship Program Grants provide support for organizations that support or connect Vermont employers with student-interns from regional technical centers, colleges, and universities. The Castleton Vermont Internship Program will partner with Vermont employers - especially those within Rutland County - to develop internship opportunities that align with career experience for students enrolled in academic majors that typically do not require internships. From 2018 to 2020, more than 400 organizations offered internships to Castleton students. More than 30% of these were located within Rutland County.

"The Vermont Internship Program Grant will help Vermont employers and bolster our internship program at Castleton. Students who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to complete an unpaid internship due to financial barriers can now gain hands-on experience and build relationships with local employers, which will serve them long after graduation," said Interim President Dr. Jonathan Spiro.

The Castleton Vermont Internship Program will partner with the Pathway to Graduation project and the Office of Career Services to provide structured support for student interns, including help completing applications, internship site identification and matching, resume development, and more. It will also work directly with regional employers to support candidate matching, access to Castleton's job board platform, and direct communication regarding paid employment opportunities for prior interns.