Lt. Governor Brown Launches BRAC Internship Website at Morgan State University
Website connects college students with BRAC-related internship opportunities
BALTIMORE, Md. (October 5, 2010) – Today at Morgan State University (MSU), Lt. Governor Brown joined MSU President Dr. David Wilson, students, faculty, staff and representatives from military agencies and defense contracting companies to launch the BRAC Internship Information Center Website. This new Website – found at http://www.internshipcenter.mhec.maryland.gov – serves as a one-stop online resource for college students seeking internships with military missions and defense firms.
“BRAC is here and will create 60,000 new good-paying, skilled jobs that require and highly-trained workforce pipeline of workers eligible for security clearances. BRAC also means that new internship opportunities are now available throughout the state. Maryland’s new BRAC Internship Information Center will connect our college students to these valuable opportunities, providing them with the skills, training and knowledge they will need as they pursue a career upon graduating,” said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, chair of the Governor’s Subcabinet on BRAC. “Governor O’Malley and I will continue to strengthen our partnerships with our higher education institutions and businesses as we prepare our young Marylanders for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Lt. Governor Brown, MSU President Dr. David Wilson, Department of Business and Economic Development Deputy Secretary Dominic Murray and MHEC’s BRAC Coordinator Dr. John Stephenson were joined at today’s launch by representatives from the National Security Agency (NSA), Northrop Grumman, the Army Alliance of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Northeast Maryland Technology Council, the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) and the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC). The kick-off event, held in the Student Center on Morgan State’s campus, attracted nearly 200 students, faculty and staff.
“Morgan State is pleased to be leading the way as the first university in the state to help launch the new BRAC Internship Information Center website. We certainly recognize the importance of BRAC to the State of Maryland and our students know how important it is to have access to great internship opportunities. This represents a win-win for Morgan, our students and employers in the region,” said Dr. David Wilson, President of Morgan State University.
In order to respond to the workforce needs of the many businesses and military units moving into Maryland as a result of the 2005 BRAC decisions, the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has created the Website to serve as a clearinghouse for student internships available throughout the state. The Website currently has over 500 listed internships in a variety of fields, from construction engineering to cryptography. The user-friendly site allows students to register for alerts concerning new internships as they become available.
“Data indicate that most students who successfully complete an internship are offered a job after college. An internship is a good way to gain work experience and – in some cases – to begin the application process for a security clearance. By registering at the Website, students will learn of hundreds of internships available in a variety of exciting fields,” said MHEC Secretary Dr. James Lyons.
BRAC-related internships create opportunities for students to gain a security clearance sponsorship while finishing their studies, connects students with potential employment opportunities before graduating and ensures that Maryland’s students are workforce-ready and equipped with the skills and training needed for the information systems, technology, cybersecurity and defense jobs being created throughout the state as a result of the BRAC activities.
Since taking office, the O’Malley-Brown administration has strengthened existing cooperative efforts and established new partnerships with local government, community leaders, military officials, higher education leaders, and the private sector to prepare the physical and workforce infrastructure for BRAC, a process that will create as many as 60,000 new jobs across the state. As Chair of the Governor’s Subcabinet on BRAC, Lt. Governor Brown led efforts to pass legislation in 2008 that created the BRAC Higher Education Grant Program, which has distributed $2.8 million in grants to 2- and 4-year colleges and universities throughout the state to develop new programs addressing BRAC-related workforce needs or to expand upon existing related programs.
