Effective internship programs provide an excellent opportunity to make use of very talented people and assess them as possible full-time employees. These programs also provide an opportunity for managers to demonstrate to interns the potential of a career in local government administration. This resource is intended to help local government managers and MPA programs work together to develop meaningful internship opportunities that benefit both students and the local governments, and encourage students to explore local government careers. Content highlights include:

• Choosing the Type of Internship
• Attracting the Best Talent
• Compensation and Financial Considerations
• Supervising and Evaluating Interns
• Top Ten Best Practices
• Creating a Remote Internship Opportunity
• Testimonials from Interns, Fellows, and Supervisors

Special thanks to the ICMA Task Force on Internships that reviewed resources and streamlined the older guides. This resource was updated again in January 2021 to include a new section on attracting, onboarding, and engaging remote interns or fellows.

Explore more ICMA Career Guides.