Policy and Initiatives Intern, Workforce and Economic Development

Location: Frankfort, KY
Travel: Occasional statewide travel may be possible, most required meetings and convenings are online
Compensation: $16 - $20 per hour
Term: September 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027
Time commitment: 20 hours per week, hybrid, with in office day on Tuesdays from 9 am - 3 pm (potential flexibility with in office day if conflicts with schedule)
Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 15, 2026

About the Council on Postsecondary Education

The Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) is Kentucky’s coordinating body for postsecondary education and is committed to strengthening the commonwealth’s workforce, economy, and quality of life through ongoing improvement and efficient operation of a high-quality system of higher education. The Workforce and Economic Development (WFED) Unit aligns higher education goals with economic development and workforce talent needs to support the growth of Kentucky’s students, communities, employers, and economy.

Position Description

The WFED undergraduate or graduate intern will play an important role in supporting the mission and vision of CPE’s WFED Unit initiatives with particular attention paid to higher education policy and workforce talent development. By focusing on building out and supporting a growing work-based learning initiative, this role will provide meaningful, real-world experiences that build critical thinking, project management, and collaboration skills necessary for professional and academic pursuits. This position will be supervised by the Executive Director of Workforce and Economic Development.

Learning Outcomes and Responsibilities:

• Gain hands-on project management experience focused on higher education policy, talent development, and student success outcomes
• Research innovative techniques and best practices related to postsecondary pathways, work-based learning, and employer engagement
• Conduct policy scans that align workforce and economic development and postsecondary education
• Develop reports, presentations, and other materials that distill complex ideas into digestible information
• Attend internal and external meetings with policymakers and agency partners

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are preferred but not required. CPE encourages those who have unique and varied experiences to apply. Undergraduate and graduate students welcome to apply.

• Students in higher education, social sciences, humanities, public policy, or related fields
• Experience or interest in qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Experience or interest in data visualization (reports, presentations, public media campaigns)
• Capacity to work on short- and long-term deadlines
• Ability to work independently while being a team player

Selection Process

The search committee will select 3 to 5 candidates and schedule at least one virtual interview with each candidate. This may necessitate follow-up interviews. The finalists who are selected will then have one week to either accept or decline their offers.

Application Information

To apply, please email the following to CPE.HR@ky.gov:

1. Cover letter describing interest in and qualifications for the position.
2. A CV or résumé.
3. A writing sample (full or excerpted) or project example