Maryland bill would give tech companies money for interns

A bill floating through the Maryland General Assembly would provide up to 40 small businesses in the state with $3,000 grants to hire interns.

The goal of the proposed program is to strengthen ties between the state’s business and universities.

The bill was recently approved by Maryland’s House of Delegates and is being considered in the state’s senate. If approved, Gov. Martin O’Malley would need to authorize an estimated $190,000 in funding.

“Colleges are pouring a lot of money into recruiting students here. We’re bringing students from all over. There’s a huge opportunity to capitalize on that,” Kristen McGuire, executive director of Baltimore Collegetown, which helped develop the idea for the program, said in an interview with the Baltimore Business Journal. “The work’s been done to bring them here, how do we keep them here?”

This program would help small startups, which often have limited staff, to recruit interns and train them, and provide funding and tips for working with interns.

Businesses could receive up to $3,000 over two semesters to help pay an intern, assuming he or she works about 120 hours a semester, at about $15 an hour.

Companies could only qualify if they employ fewer than 150 people and are focused on technology. Students must have a 3.0 GPA.

The Shriver Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County would administer the program, but would reserve spots for students from universities and colleges statewide.

The Shriver Center focuses on student internship and community engagement opportunities in the Baltimore area.