Solving the “Experience Gap” and Removing Barriers

MobilizeGreen Launches New Model for Helping Organizations Get Projects Completed While Expanding Internship Access for Young People of Color

COVID-19 devastated entire industries, challenged the strength of the American economy, and worsened the experience gap for young people of color seeking opportunities in Green and STEM fields.  Case in point: since March 2020, organizations have offered significantly fewer internships to college students and new grads. That lack of hands-on career development opportunities greatly affected youth of color who have historically been on the losing end when competing for internships, especially paid internship.

The VirtualIntern is the brainchild of MobilizeGreen, which has a successful track record of helping placing thousands of young people of color in Green and STEM internships and professional development opportunities. Its founder, Leah Allen, President and CEO of MobilizeGreen, says the pandemic spurred her and her team to action as they witnessed how the nation’s young people, particularly young people of color were being disproportionately impacted.

“COVID has been devastating to youth of color in almost every community across the country. In fact, the crippling economic downturn led thousands of agencies and organizations in Green, STEM, and other environmental fields to rescind internship and job offers, leaving diverse students with few prospects,” explained Allen. “The VirtualIntern will help fill those gaps and provides a way forward via paid short-term project-based internships that will solve the “experience gap” for youth of color.”

Allen says students are not the only ones who benefit. “The VirtualIntern provides an outstanding means for organizations to find cost-effective help to keep projects on track while moving the needle on DEI initiatives. They also benefit from the diversity that our interns bring to the workplace and the fresh perspective they bring to the work itself.” 

Virtual interns work 10 to 40 hours a week for at least four weeks. To sign up, prospective interns simply create a profile on the organization’s website to showcase their skills. They are then matched with an employer and start working with experts to solve real-world problems. The placement process is shown to be an advantage to employers because it saves time and connects them with unique talent from backgrounds that more accurately reflect the make-up of the communities they serve.  

“These paid virtual internships remove the lingering personal restrictions of the pandemic as a barrier to meaningful career-related experience. Young people are able to satisfy their curiosity in a field that interests them while gaining experience in their chosen discipline to get them ready for a career with the federal agencies,” explained Allen.  

The “VirtualIntern may have been borne of the dire circumstances of the pandemic but it is a program set up for longevity. There is no doubt it provides an important benefit to young people as well as an invaluable work resource for agencies leading the efforts to combat climate change,” she added.

For more information about how to become a participating employer, click here. To find out more, visit www.thevirtualintern.org.

About Us

MobilizeGreen serves as a catalyst in preparing the next generation of conservation and climate change leaders.  MobilizeGreen’s mission is to jumpstart green careers, particularly in “green” STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)-related fields for diverse young people while advancing environmental equity in communities.  Through internships, mentoring, and engagement, MobilizeGreen helps employers complete projects and build a talent pool of future leaders, removing barriers, creating opportunities, and supporting young people’s progress.  Launched as a stand-alone national 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2014, MobilizeGreen is based in Washington, DC, with programs available in all 50 states and some U.S. territories.

For more information contact: thevirtualintern@mobilizegreen.org, (202) 375-7760, ext. 510.