MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Tony Evers and the Department of Workforce Development announced Thursday that the University of Wisconsin System will receive $1.1 million to expand internship opportunities in high-demand fields.

The grant aims to increase the paid internship opportunities for UW students in fields ranging from cybersecurity to agriculture to green energy and clean water jobs.

“Our UW System is a major economic driver in our state and a critical resource for building our state’s next-generation workforce. These grants will help students earn while they learn, ensuring greater access and opportunities for our homegrown talent to start growing their careers right here in Wisconsin,” said Evers in a press release.

Funds for the incentive are coming from the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program, which awards grants to Wisconsin businesses that reimburse the costs of training for unemployed, underemployed or incumbent workers.

The goal of this new grant funding is to further incentivize businesses to provide paid internships.

“These internships will help students kick-start their careers while meeting employer demand for talent,” said UW System President Jay Rothman.

DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek also said these paid internships can simultaneously incentivize students to stay in Wisconsin.

“Students who intern for a Wisconsin company are more likely to stay in the state after graduation, making internships a valuable workforce retention strategy,” said Pechacek.

The over $1.1 million will be used in several ways throughout the UW System.

UW-Milwaukee will receive $382,000 to help place about 42 interns in three-month paid internships in green energy and clean water industries.

They’ll also receive another $208,624 to develop paid internship opportunities in the humanities, social sciences, and other majors, areas where students are often offered unpaid opportunities.

UW-River Falls will get $244,426 to create experiences in agriculture for students, which includes giving 20 students a 14-week summer internship or a 28-week academic year internship as well as career development training.

And at UW-Stout, leaders will take their $298,771 to establish a cybersecurity internship program.

In addition to these investments, Evers has also proposed allocating another $2 million for the Wisconsin Fast Forward Program in his 2023-25 biennial budget proposal.

“Recruiting and retaining talented workers, maintaining our state’s economic momentum, and preparing our workforce for high-demand fields of the 21st century are major priorities in my 2023-25 biennial budget,” said Evers in a statement. “We must continue to invest in programs like Fast Forward while also working to bolster our UW System, support working families, and build an economy and workforce for our state’s future.”