At Global Cleantech Meet-up, Governor Patrick Launches Expanded Clean Energy Internship Program

Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the 2013 Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Internship Program will expand paid internships for college students at Massachusetts-based clean energy companies. Governor Patrick made the announcement at the Global Cleantech Meet-up, an annual conference for clean energy technology industry professionals being held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center this week.
“I am proud we are able to expand this program and provide more students with an opportunity to gain the world experience necessary to compete in the 21st century global economy,” said Governor Patrick. “Through this program we are creating the clean energy leaders that will fuel our economy for years to come.”
Under Governor Patrick’s leadership, clean energy employment in Massachusetts grew by 11.2 percent from July 2011 to July 2012. The sector now employs over 71,000 people throughout Massachusetts.
During his address today, Governor Patrick discussed how the state is lowering the cost of energy and shaping the Commonwealth’s energy future. By increasing the commitment to renewable energy sources, the Patrick-Murray Administration is poising Massachusetts as a leader in the global energy revolution. Read his full remarks here.
Over the past two summers, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Internship Program placed more than 262 students and recent graduates in internships at more than 77 clean energy companies across the state. As a result of the internship program, 38 students gained full-time and part-time employment.
The expanded program, which will begin taking applications on November 1, will include 10-week internship sessions in the fall and spring, as well as traditional the 10-week summer program.
As in past years, MassCEC will provide Massachusetts-based clean energy companies with stipends of up to $12 per hour for up to 10 weeks for each intern. The summer session will continue to provide for full-time internships, with a cap of $4,800 per intern, while the spring and fall sessions will provide for part-time internships, with a cap of $2,400 per intern.
“Expanding this already robust summer program will help develop the next generation of clean energy leaders who will contribute to the global clean energy industry,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan, who chairs the MassCEC Board of Directors. “The program supports education and training which further the career goals of tomorrow’s clean energy leaders.”
In addition to compensation, interns gain meaningful employment experience such as networking opportunities, mentoring, and industry knowledge only gained from working within clean energy companies.
“This program is a natural way to connect emerging and established clean energy companies with the educated workforce that can help grow their businesses,” said MassCEC CEO Alicia Barton McDevitt. “These internships allow students and recent graduates to hone the skills they learned in the classroom and prepare for jobs in the expanding global clean energy sector.”
“Clean and renewable energy companies are thriving in Massachusetts, and offer students a wide variety of professional experiences,” said Peter Rothstein, president of the New England Clean Energy Council, which co-sponsors the program. “This program will continue to grow the innovation and leadership of this sector by grooming our next leaders. And by engaging these students in the clean energy sector, we promote the industry as an important career path.”
Earlier this month, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranked Massachusetts as the number one state for energy efficiency policies and programs. ACEEE applauded the Commonwealth for continuing expansion on traditional energy policy and taking innovative approaches to investing in energy savings, creating clean energy jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign sources of energy, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.