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Workforce Pathways

Internships

Supporting high-quality internships through the Maine Career Catalyst program.

About the Program

The Maine Career Catalyst (MCC) summer program, launched in 2017, provides professional development, networking, and social opportunities for interns and experiential learners working in Maine.

Each summer, Maine Career Catalyst hosts 18 to 20 events that interns working for Maine-based employers can attend free of charge. Events range from “lunch and learn” webinars and industry networking opportunities to hands-on skill-building activities and excursions exploring Maine’s natural beauty and recreational offerings. See our Summer 2025 events calendar here.

Our program is about more than building an affinity for Maine. We support students in exploring career paths, understanding the opportunities available to them, and finding their place in Maine’s workforce. Our events foster connections among fellow interns and with business leaders, and build a deeper understanding of what it means to launch a career here.

Interns end the summer with lifelong friendships, professional connections, transferable skills, greater awareness of Maine-based employers, and a stronger sense of what building a life and career in Maine can look like.

Employers end the summer with engaged, satisfied interns, broader brand awareness among a large cohort of experiential learners statewide, and in many cases, strong candidates for full-time roles or future internship seasons.

Who We Serve

We partner with Maine-based employers that run high-quality summer internship, co-op, or fellowship programs and serve the paid experiential learners they hire, whether that is one learner per summer or a large cohort. We partner with employers of all sizes, industries, and geographic locations across the state.

We also partner with programs placing summer experiential learners statewide, including the Maine Government Summer Internship Program, Innovate for Maine Fellows Program, and MEIF @ USM Program, enrolling their participants in Maine Career Catalyst.

Our Year Round Work

Engaging strategic partnerships

We maintain and grow our employer partnerships, create opportunities for internship coordinators across our network to connect, and provide consulting services to employers establishing their first internship program.

Internship Awareness & Preparation

We work with secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, nonprofits, and community partners to connect with students and share information about the value of high-quality internships, the benefits of interning in Maine, how to research and apply for opportunities, how to put their best foot forward in applications and interviews, and how to make the most of their internship experience.

Running our steering committee

Our MCC Emerging Leaders Alumni Steering Committee convenes a cohort of young professionals to develop career skills, build community, and help shape MCC programming to better serve experiential learners across Maine.

How We Help You

Employer Resources

Become a New Partner: Employers & organizations that offer paid summer internship, co-op, or fellowship opportunities and want to partner with the MCC program should contact Hannah Greene to schedule a 30-minute virtual exploratory meeting with a member of our staff to connect, share information, and discuss next steps. There is NO COST to become a new partner.

Resources for Current Partners:

    • Internship Coordinator Networking Events: We host biannual in-person networking events for internship coordinators to exchange best practices, tackle shared challenges, connect with peers across the business, nonprofit, and higher education communities, and stay engaged with Educate Maine and the Maine Career Catalyst program. Events typically take place in April and October to gear up for and reflect on the summer internship season. Follow us on social media for updates.

    • Free Internship Postings: As a Maine Career Catalyst partner, you can post paid experiential learning positions for free on the Live + Work in Maine job board. Contact Hannah Greene for your discount code.

    • NACE Resources: There are many online resources that can help employers with best practices to structure the onboarding and management of intern and experiential learning programs. The National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a great resource, and the best practices for internships page can be especially helpful.

    • Sponsorship Opportunities: Employers can sponsor events during the summer program, which provides additional brand awareness and visibility amongst our network of 500+ experiential learners statewide. Contact Hannah Greene for more information and to discuss available opportunities to sponsor.

    • Follow us on Social Media: Learn more about the Maine Career Catalyst program and stay connected by following us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Student Resources

Search for Maine Internships: Looking for a Maine-based internship or a job after graduation? Check the Live + Work in Maine job board regularly and explore the career pages of our employer partners. You can also sign up for the Live + Work in Maine e-newsletter for resources, events, networking opportunities, and regional guides for anyone looking to relocate, move within, or stay in Maine.

Explore Maine-Based Student Loan Reimbursements: The Opportunity Maine Tax Credit reimburses student loan payments for college graduates who live and work in Maine. Learn more here.

Access Previous MCC Webinar Recordings: All of our professional development webinars are recorded and available on the MCC YouTube channel.

Follow us on Social Media: Learn more about the Maine Career Catalyst program and stay connected by following us on Instagram and LinkedIn.

Want your Internship Employer to Join MCC?: Did you land a summer internship with a Maine-based employer that is not yet a Maine Career Catalyst partner? Share this page with them and encourage them to reach out to Hannah Greene, Manager of Workforce Partnerships, at hannah@educatemaine.org to learn more and get connected for free.


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