Augusta Resident, UMF Student, Interns at the Maine Department of Labor

August 18, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 18, 2017

Media Contact: Julie Rabinowitz, 207-621-5009

AUGUSTA?This summer, Kelsey Rohman of Augusta participated in the Maine Government Summer Internship Program with the Maine Department of Labor. Rohman spent 12 weeks working for the department as an intern with the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS).

Rohman, a rising-Junior Psychology major with a minor in Rehab Services at the University of Maine Farmington, worked on various projects for the department. Rohman helped with organizational and clerical work throughout the department, BRS, the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBVI) and Maine CareerCenters. She frequently observed different aspects of varying departments, whether it be sitting in on an intake, traveling and coordinating with other CareerCenters, researching legislative and federal information for her co-workers, or photographing program participants and work-site sponsors.

"I cannot stress enough how extremely lucky I was to have had this opportunity to work for the State of Maine," said Rohman. "I have never met so many unique individuals who seem to genuinely care about helping others achieve their goals and aspirations regarding employment. Seeing this frame of mind towards a job is very inspiring and I hope to one day feel the same about an occupation."

?Kelsey was an enthusiastic contributor to the department this summer, and we appreciate her efforts on behalf of the people we serve,? stated Commissioner of Labor John Butera. ?Internships help students learn skills that will help them as they transition into the workforce, and open them to a wide range of job opportunities in Maine. These work experiences play an important role in not only addressing the recruiting and retention challenges for our employers, but encourages young people to move to or stay in Maine.?

The department administers Maine?s unemployment insurance system, helps ensure the safety of employees and provides workforce development leadership and vocational rehabilitation services throughout the state. The department has focused on connecting Mainers to jobs and helping businesses create jobs through strengthening our workforce development system, improving outreach to businesses and clarifying employment regulations.

The Maine State Government Internship Program combines paid work experience with education. Administered by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine, it is a collaboration involving the Office of the Governor, the Maine Bureau of Human Resources and Maine state government agencies.

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