Maryland Launches Paid Internships for Tech Students

A six-student pilot places Baltimore and Carroll County high schoolers with state Department of General Services mentors.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Internships

Maryland Launches Paid Internships for Tech Students

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Should Maryland spend state money on paid trades internships for high school students?

Maryland has launched a paid internship pilot for technical high school students, placing six participants with mentors from the Maryland Department of General Services. Three students come from Carver Vocational-Technical High School in Baltimore and three from the Carroll County Career and Technology Center.

Why it matters

The program is designed to create a pathway for students interested in careers in the trades and to help build a workforce for Maryland's infrastructure projects. Feedback from students and mentors will inform adjustments before the pilot is expanded.

The pilot begins with six paid internship slots, three at Carver Vocational-Technical High School in Baltimore and three at the Carroll County Career and Technology Center. The source does not disclose compensation levels or the length of placements.

The players

Maryland Department of General Services

The state agency responsible for procurement, facilities management, and real estate for Maryland's government, whose mentors are supervising the student internships.

The details

Students work alongside Maryland Department of General Services mentors on construction management, engineering, design, HVAC maintenance, and capital planning at sites in Carroll County and the Baltimore region. Participants also receive resume support and networking opportunities as part of the paid pilot.

November 1, 2026: Announcement of the paid internship pilot launch.
In the coming years: Planned expansion of the pilot after feedback from students and mentors is incorporated.

Roadmap

Maryland is testing a paid-internship pilot model with a small cohort before committing to wider expansion, a sequencing approach that lets state agencies adjust structure based on participant input. The effort ties student training directly to the infrastructure workforce the state says it needs for upcoming projects.

High school students in Baltimore and Carroll County who qualify for the pilot could gain paid, hands-on experience in trades such as HVAC and engineering before graduating. Families and educators in other Maryland districts will have to wait for expansion to see if similar opportunities reach their schools.

The takeaway

Paid, mentored placements can give students a concrete look at trades careers while they are still in school. Students interested in construction, engineering, or building maintenance should ask their career and technology centers whether similar programs are available.