This Summer, We’re Rethinking What It Means to Intern in New Hampshire
There’s a moment every summer that often goes unnoticed but has the potential to shape the future of our workforce in a big way.
It’s when thousands of interns jump into career explorations across New Hampshire. They step into offices, job sites, hospitals, labs, studios, and get a first real look at what it might mean to build a career here.
And whether they stay after graduation? That decision starts forming now.
At Stay Work Play, we’ve been thinking a lot about that moment. Internships are professional experiences, yes, but they are also deeply formative for young people. They shape that first glimpse into ‘real world’ options for “place”, informing whether they feel connected to it and can imagine a life beyond the job.
We also know the data backs this up. Internship experiences are one of the strongest predictors of what happens next. Research shows that students who complete internships are significantly more likely to secure jobs and launch their careers post-graduation, often at nearly double the rate of those who don’t.
So this summer, we’re doing something about it.
Introducing the NH Interns Program
The NH Interns Program is a Stay Work Play pilot initiative designed to welcome interns into New Hampshire not just as temporary workers, but as future community members.
Our goal is intentional: To create opportunities for connection, place-making, and belonging for interns working across industries and regions of the state.
Because we know this to be true:
People don’t stay where they worked. They stay where they felt connected.
This pilot program is about building that connection early.
What Interns Can Expect This Summer
Throughout the summer, we’ll be sharing resources, insights, and opportunities to help interns better understand what it looks like to live, work, and have FUN in New Hampshire.
At the center of it all are four key experiences designed to bring interns together and plug them into the broader ecosystem of opportunity here:
Summer Kickoff Social: The Listening Room at The Moka Pot | June 18, Manchester
We’re starting the summer off on a high note by bringing interns together in a brand new space built for third space community and connection.
From 5:30–7pm, interns will gather for a casual “friend-working” session - meeting peers from across industries, getting introduced to Stay Work Play, and learning what’s ahead for the summer. They’ll also connect with Manchester Young Professionals and hear directly from the young team behind The Moka Pot about how spaces like this come to life.
At 7pm, the night shifts into a live Listening Room performance offering interns a glimpse into the fun they can have right here in the Granite State.
Virtual Summer Sessions | July 20 + August 3
Two lunchtime conversations (12-1pm) are designed to provide interns with professional and personal development within the context of a changing workplace landscape.
We’ll cover topics like personal branding and navigating workplace conversations, bringing in guest speakers who can offer a real-world perspective, not just theory. These sessions are meant to be practical, honest, and immediately useful as interns think about what comes next.
NH Nexus + Rooftop Mixer | August 17, Concord
To close out the summer, interns will receive a special invitation to attend NH Nexus, a half-day summit and one of the state’s key gatherings for young people (hosted by US!), followed by a rooftop mixer at Arts Alley in Concord alongside some of New Hampshire’s most engaged and impactful young leaders.
It’s a chance to step into the broader network, to see what’s possible here, and to make connections that extend well beyond the internship experience.
Why This Period is Critical
New Hampshire is in a 50-state competition for talent. And while we have incredible career opportunities, we also know that opportunity alone isn’t enough.
Young people are asking bigger questions:
• Do I feel like I belong here?
• Can I build a life here—not just a job?
• Will I find community, connection, and a sense of place?
Internships are one of the most powerful entry points into answering those questions, but only if we intentionally design experiences around them.This program is about doing exactly that.
A Pilot With Purpose
This is our first year launching the NH Interns Program, and we see it as the beginning of something much bigger.
The vision is to create a repeatable, statewide experience that interns come to expect each summer. A program that not only supports professional growth, but also connects them to the communities they’re living in and opportunities to leverage the unique qualities of working in NH as a young person. Because let's face it, the opportunities are endless in our state.
As the program grows, proof of concept becomes even more tangible, and our partners across the state ramp up their own workforce initiatives, we will be creating stronger pathways for young people to stay, work, and build their lives here in the Granite State.
Join Us
The NH Interns Program is free and open to all interns working in New Hampshire.
We encourage employers across the state to share this opportunity with their interns and teams to support their participation throughout the summer.
This program is made possible with the support of Bangor Savings Bank, in partnership with New Hampshire College and University Council.
If you’re spending your summer in New Hampshire, we’d love to connect you to what’s here.
Learn more and register here.
