According to a news release, the New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) initiated the program, opening it up to undergraduate and graduate students in their final year to acquire job skills, certifications and hands-on experience.
“This internship engagement program will be a life-changing resource for students across the state as they become a part of the tech workforce after graduation,” ITS CIO Angelo ‘Tony’ Riddick said in a public statement. “These students will make up New York’s future — and they deserve every opportunity to pursue paths that will lead them to successful and fulfilling careers. I thank Gov. Hochul for recognizing the need that exists, and for advancing a solution that will benefit these institutions, the state, and most importantly, the students themselves.”
According to the announcement, more than 300 students from CUNY and the University at Albany have already applied for 240 internships, which begin Feb. 1.
“CUNY students have the talent to transform the technology sector but often don’t have an opportunity to get a foot in the door because they can’t afford unpaid internships. This program will give them hands-on-experience with pay, which will better position them for jobs in this in-demand field,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Rodríguez said in a public statement.
The new program comes as universities across the country establish workforce training initiatives and expedited “boot camp” programs to give students accelerated training for in-demand jobs.
The announcement said participating students will be notified of their acceptance later this month, adding that they will be paid $21 an hour in the Albany and New York areas. It said ITS will introduce the program at other SUNY schools this fall.
“Students are able to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world scenarios, making them both better prepared to enter the workforce and more marketable in their respective fields,” SUNY Chancellor John King Jr. said in a public statement. “Opening the program to those in their last year of study will help more students be better positioned to hit the ground running professionally upon graduation.”
