When Vamshi Krishna Ginna began graduate studies in computer science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), she was looking for an internship that would give her hands-on experience in software development.
He had previously worked in product maintenance for several companies in Hyderabad, India, but wanted to pivot to a more creative career. He learned a lot from his classes at UMBC, but he needed work experience. Enter the Maryland Technology Internship Program (MTIP).
The program, launched by the university in 2018, provides funding for Maryland technology companies to hire interns from the state's universities. Now, thanks to an influx of funding from the state of Maryland, this same internship program will be available to more students.
The $700,000 budget investment, approved by Gov. Wes Moore and allocated through the state Department of Commerce's budget, will allow UMBC to double its program year offerings starting with internships this summer. Before this funding began on July 1, the number of internships averaged 160 per year. Currently, 300 internships are expected. Adding this funding to the current base budget of $365,000 would make MTIP a $1 million annual program.
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MTIP Spring Recruitment Event in February 2024. (Courtesy of UMBC)
Gina is currently interning at Ardent Privacy, a security software company based at the bwtech@UMBC Innovation Park in Catonsville. He found the position on job posting site Handshake and has been working at Ardent since the fall 2023 semester. He specifically supports the development of privacy automation tools.
“I definitely had theoretical knowledge from academics, but this internship helped me gain practical experience,” Gina told Technical.ly.
According to data collected by UMBC, nearly 90% of participating companies are classified as small businesses with fewer than 150 employees. Employers are located throughout the state, including Bethesda, College Park, and Silver Spring.
This program has two main objectives. One is to attract and retain technology industry talent in the state, and the other is to support Maryland's small businesses and startups. More than 30 universities, including community colleges, are participating. Maryland residents attending out-of-state colleges are also eligible to participate.
“It’s a really great opportunity for students to get involved because a lot of times when they’re working with these small businesses; “Interns can wear so many hats,” says Jen Spencer Heilman, director of workforce development programs at the UMBC Career Center. “Interns can interact with CEOs and work on larger projects, so it's not just a benefit for the intern, but for the company as well.”
Jake Wiseman, UMBC's vice president of government relations and community affairs, has led efforts to secure funding in collaboration with the governor's office and legislators since taking office in December. He said the program is a “unique pipeline” to keep technology talent in Maryland.
“This infusion of funding into the program is truly a sign of the governor's confidence, and we look forward to demonstrating both the opportunity and longevity of the program,” Wiseman said.
How students and companies can get involved
The MTIP website has a dedicated section for intern job openings. Also listed is her Handshake position, where Ginna found her internship at Ardent Privacy. MTIP promotes students into positions rather than placing them themselves.
The program hosts recruiting events each spring, and Spencer Heilman said the new funding will allow for even more recruiting events. The next recruitment event is scheduled for the fall semester.
For companies looking to participate, the process is simple. Companies must be located in Maryland and employ interns in technology fields such as cybersecurity, engineering, manufacturing, or IT.
A company representative must also attend the information session. These are usually held twice a month, but employers who are unable to attend may try to schedule separate sessions.
Companies must also indicate that interns will be paid during the semester. MTIP provides a portion of the redemption to companies at the end of the term, and increased funding also means larger redemptions for companies participating in the program.
In previous semesters, MTIP was able to award up to $1,800 per intern. This has now been increased to $3,000 for him.
“We're really excited to be able to support these small businesses in a greater capacity,” Spencer Heilman said, “and we're excited about the program to bring this assistance to more businesses in the region and across the state.” “We will expand this,” he said.
