Creating Leadership & Professional Development Through Extension Internships: Preparing the Next Generation of Agriculture Workforce
ISSN 2158-9429
Volume 18, Issue 2 - December 2025
Editor: Bindu Poudel-Ward
Abstract
Internships that incorporate hands-on work experience and opportunities to develop interpersonal skills and build professional networks support intern success and career readiness. The collaborative nature of Cooperative Extension enables educators to design programs that provide a broad perspective on career paths and equip interns with the mindset to tackle industry challenges. Using the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Eight Core Competencies for Career Readiness (self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, technology) as a framework, University of Maryland Extension (UME) used an interdisciplinary approach to design an internship that emphasizes developmental relationships, skills application, and reflection. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data was collected to measure and evaluate program outcomes. There was a statistically significant improvement in career competency skills, with the majority of interns planning to continue their education and explore agriculture career options.
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