Report: Help Community College Students Get Paid Internships

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts needs to work harder to help community college students land paid internships.

That’s the conclusion of a study by The Boston Foundation, which found the largest percentage of paid internships in Massachusetts goes to students from four-year colleges.

Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan said paid internships help community college students earn money and build professional networks.

The report looks at existing paid internship programs in Massachusetts and other states to come up with principles for a new statewide internship initiative that would provide community college students with work experience opportunities and create pipelines for employers in some of the region’s fastest-growing industries.

The report said the program should be organized by region, prioritize paid work, provide opportunities for academic credit and simplify the process of matching students to opportunities.