WORK EXPERIENCE (WEX)

Host a paid intern. Grow your future workforce.

Looking for a practical way to bring in extra help, build your talent pipeline, and support someone who is ready to learn?

Through the Work Experience (WEX) program, eligible employers can host a short-term paid internship that gives participants real-world experience while helping businesses meet their workforce needs. It’s a simple, supported way to introduce someone to your industry, teach valuable skills, and explore future hiring potential.

What is Work Experience (WEX)?

WEX is a short-term, structured paid internship that helps people build workplace skills, confidence, and real job experience.

For employers, it’s a chance to host an intern at your worksite, provide supervision and hands-on learning, and get support in developing future talent. Internships can take place in private, nonprofit, or public sector workplaces, depending on the position and participant eligibility.

Interested in hosting a paid intern? Fill out our online interest form.

Submit the WEX interest form

Why host a paid intern?

Hosting a WEX intern can help your business:

  • Bring in extra support for entry-level, seasonal, or project-based work
  • Build your future talent pipeline by introducing someone to your workplace and industry
  • Reduce hiring risk by seeing how someone learns, contributes, and fits with your team
  • Share job-specific skills and help prepare someone for long-term success
  • Strengthen your business and community by creating access to meaningful work experience in our region

This is especially helpful for employers who want to grow their own talent, expand awareness of career opportunities in their field, or create a stronger pathway into hard-to-fill roles.

How does WEX work?

1. Connect with our team: We talk with you about your business needs, the type of internship you can offer, and whether WEX is a good fit.

2. Build the internship plan: Before the internship begins, a WEX agreement is created that outlines the role, learning goals, supervision, schedule, and expected tasks.

3. Host your intern: The participant joins your workplace for a short-term paid internship and gains experience through real, structured work.

4. Provide guidance and feedback: You give day-to-day supervision, technical direction, and a supportive learning environment. Employers must be able to provide meaningful work experience, supervision, and sufficient equipment or materials for the intern to do the job.

5. Explore what comes next: At the end of the internship, you may decide to pursue a longer-term opportunity or simply know you helped someone build the experience they needed to move forward.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is this really a paid internship?
Yes. WEX can be positioned as a paid internship opportunity for eligible participants. It is a short-term, structured work experience designed to help someone gain real skills in a real workplace.

Q: Who pays the intern?
Internship wages are supported through the program, not paid directly by the employer.

Q: What does my business need to do?
You provide the worksite, supervision, meaningful tasks, and a learning environment where the intern can build skills and experience.

Q: What kinds of businesses can participate?
WEX may be available across a variety of industries and worksites, including private, nonprofit, and public-sector employers, as long as the internship offers meaningful work and appropriate supervision.

Q: How long does an internship last?
WEX internships are short-term. Details may vary based on the participant, position, and available funding.

Q: Can this lead to a hire?
It can. Many employers value WEX because it offers a chance to get to know someone in a real work setting before deciding whether to move into a longer-term role.