The City of Las Cruces Internship Program is growing again despite a pause in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were 140 interns working for 11 City departments at the end of 2021, according to data provided by the City’s Administration Department. Of that number, 106 interns were hired in the spring, summer and fall of 2021.
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department, Las Cruces Utilities, and the Quality of Life Department utilized most of the interns hired in 2021. The Parks and Recreation Department had 39 interns, with 37 serving as summer youth interns. Las Cruces Utilities had 35 interns in 2021, including 23 as summer interns, and the Quality of Life Department had 22 interns.
Also, of the students who were in the City’s Internship Program, 77 – or 55 percent of the participants – came from high schools. The remaining 63 were New Mexico State University or Doña Ana Community College students.
The number of interns include co-op and work-study students, and students from special programs, such the Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) Academic Career Experience and Doña Ana County Summer Youth Internship programs, which are specifically geared for high school students.
The focus of the City’s Internship Program was centered on several aspects during 2021. Those included:
- The City’s return to providing abundant internship opportunities after putting a hold on new internships in the summer and fall of 2020 because of the pandemic.
- The development of New Career Exploration Experiences, including the summer youth internship program as a partnership with Doña Ana County and LCPS. The City plans to participate in the program again in 2022.
- Additionally, the City will be working in 2022 on an externally facing site within the City website that will enable students to have easier access to information on available internships with the City, processes to apply for internships, and contact information for guidance and support through the process.
The City encourages all students interested in Career Exploration Experiences – be they traditional internship experiences or opportunities for job shadowing – to contact Ryan Steinmetz, Career Development Coordinator, by calling 575/541-2498, or sending an email to rsteinmetz@las-cruces.org.