Clean Energy Internship Program

As detailed in the 2024 Rhode Island Clean Energy Industry Report, clean energy is growing faster than any year since 2018, increasing by 466 workers at a rate of 3.2 percent. Clean energy employment growth in 2023 was nearly double that of 2022 (466 and 254, respectively) and outpaced overall job growth statewide (3.2% vs. 1.9% overall) over the same period, with a growth from 14,510 jobs over 2022, to 14,976 over 2023. The clean energy economy gained 466 jobs over this period, the largest net gain in five years. While Rhode Island has yet to achieve pre-pandemic clean energy job levels, the continued growth over the last three years indicates the state is on track to recover fully in the coming years. Every clean energy technology sector grew in employment over the last year, and all but one saw higher growth rates than the year before. The only technology sector to see a lesser growth rate from 2022 to 2023 is clean transportation, however this sector maintained the highest growth rate of any technology in this year’s report at 7.8 percent. In Rhode Island, the amount of electric vehicle registrations grew by almost half (48.8 percent), from 4,300 in 2022 to 6,400 in 2023.2 The largest net gain of workers was in the energy efficiency sector, adding 225 workers, followed by renewable and efficient heating and cooling with a 119-worker increase. Renewable energy also grew, gaining 84 jobs in the clean energy economy.  

The RI Clean Energy Internship Program is a paid 12-week internship program managed by the Office of Energy Resources and RI Commerce. It is designed to help provide internship opportunities in clean energy careers, ranging across marketing, engineering, research, solar, direct construction, energy efficiency and more! Students will be able to professionally develop under the mentorship of an industry partner to combat real world problems in energy and the environment. This workforce development initiative hosts 3 program rounds each year, in summer, fall, and spring. This is not a recruitment opportunity to work at OER, but rather, OER manages this internship portal where students and companies create accounts, upload application documents, and schedule interviews. OER reimburses the host company for the cost of hosting students as interns. 

The Spring 2025 round is now in session. The Summer 2025 session will be accepting applications from February 4, 2025, through April 18, 2025.

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What is the Clean Energy Internship Program?

The Rhode Island Clean Energy Internship Program is co-managed by the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) and the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (OER). It is a workforce development initiative which focuses on enhancing the talent pipeline for Rhode Island employers engaged in the clean energy industry. The Rhode Island Clean Energy Internship Program facilitates the placement of students and recent graduates who are considering career opportunities in clean energy through paid internships across the state. Consistent with the program staff's roles as catalysts in growing the talent needed by the clean energy industry, the Internship Program is designed to provide students and employers with the tools to connect, and eligible employers will be reimbursed for intern stipends.

What are the Objectives of the Internship Program?

The objectives of the Clean Energy Internship Program are to:

  • Provide the clean energy community with a talented pool of young professionals.
  • Enable students to gain significant career opportunities in a challenging economic environment.
  • Enable clean energy employers to mentor students and provide internship opportunities across a broad spectrum of student backgrounds.
  • Support the need for greater diversity in our clean energy workforce.
  • Provide a peer network of students interested in working in clean energy.

How Does the Program Work?

  • Students looking for an internship in the clean energy industry will be required to create a student account that includes filling in mandatory fields, and attaching a resume, current unofficial transcript and one-page cover letter.
  • Students will identify their academic background and the industry subsector in which they would prefer to intern.
  • Students can also access the Internships Board, where internships available are posted and can reach out to companies directly. 
  • For approved companies, eligible intern applications are able to be viewed and can select candidates with the qualifications that are most suited to their needs.
  • Internships are full or part-time during the session, typically over a 12-week period.
  • Employers will provide a meaningful internship opportunity and mentorship opportunities for each intern.
  • Upon completion of the internship, eligible employers will request a reimbursement from program staff for the stipend paid to the intern.
  • Funding is reserved for clean energy employers to host interns on a first-come first-served basis until funding has been exhausted or the submission deadline is met.

Please refer to the Intern or Employer section for more detail.