UMBC has been working to expand a new program that will benefit both STEM students and companies within the tech industry. The “Maryland Technology Internship Program” helps give students career-oriented opportunities while also seeking out talented individuals as interns for smaller tech companies. This way, talent is being retained within Maryland.
The program, which is funded by the state and administered by UMBC, provides funding for smaller companies in efforts to increase the amount of paid internships in Maryland. Current students and recent graduates are eligible to qualify for the program. All companies must be technology-based and located in Maryland. Employers can be compensated for up to half of an intern’s pay, with a maximum amount of $3,000 for each year per intern.
Sheldon Broel is the founder and CEO of “Athena,” a biotech company, and is also the assistant graduate program director of UMBC’s master’s in biotechnology program. Broel used the MITP to hire intern Gavin Burton, a chemistry major at Stevenson University. Broel describes hiring new talent as “an iterative process of training that can be expensive and time-consuming.The program helps students expand their knowledge and strengthen their resumes while reducing the expense to the companies who are doing that training,” says Broel.
UMBC alumna Bethany Meyer is the chief technology officer and co-founder of “CourseArc,” an online software that allows companies to create their own online courses. Meyer was able to find Jessica Hutchinson, a Towson University student, through the MITP. “It’s been great having someone on our team who is eager to take on a wide range of tasks,” states Meyer. She says that Hutchinson works on projects ranging from market research to quality assurance. She also says Hutchinson regularly shares insights and fresh ideas with her team.
MITP gave Gavin Burton the opportunity to explore his career choice and gain valuable knowledge about specialty pharmaceuticals. “It reassured me that I’m on the right path with what I want to do with my life,” he says. UMBC students can also be a part of MITP and are featured monthly as “MITP’s Intern of the Month.”
