Clean Energy Internship Program for Employers

• Be an eligible clean energy employer. For the purposes of this program, MassCEC defines a clean energy employer as “an employer engaged in whole or in part in goods and services, or advanced and applied technologies that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of energy from non-renewable sources, including, but not limited to: energy efficiency; demand response; energy conservation and those technologies powered in whole or in part by the sun, wind, water, biomass, alcohol, wood, fuel cells, any renewable, non-depletable, or recyclable fuel.” MassCEC in its sole discretion makes the determination of whether an employer is a clean energy employer. 
• Be registered to do business in Massachusetts. If you are unsure if your business is registered to do business in Massachusetts, please consult the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Corporate Database at the Commonwealth’s Corporations Division. 
• Provide a meaningful internship (as defined in the General Terms and Conditions). 
• Provide adequate proof that your organization is able to pay your intern(s) and all associated costs associated with employment.  
• Successfully demonstrate that your organization has a physical presence in Massachusetts. 
• Not be an academic or government entity.  
• Be in good standing with MassCEC. The Host Employer must have submitted all paperwork relating to any prior internship completed, including the mandatory final survey, which must have been received and approved by MassCEC. 

MassCEC will reimburse a Host Employer up to the cap of $4,320/intern in the fall or spring sessions and $8,640/intern in the summer session. The minimum wage for this program is $15/hr; MassCEC will reimburse up to $18/hr. 

Host Employers are allowed to select up to three interns if one of the three interns attends a community college. Two interns are permitted if neither attends a community college. Each intern must be approved individually. Funding for one intern does not entitle an employer to funding for a second or third. 

The Intern(s) cannot be the spouse, child, grandchild, sibling, niece, nephew, or spouse of a child, grandchild, sibling, niece, or nephew of the president, CEO, or other senior executive member of the Host Employer, or of any other employee of Host Employer who may have hiring authority on behalf of the Host Employer. 

MassCEC will only provide reimbursement if the intern is hired in a different calendar year, and not a subsequent session. For example, an employer may take on the same individual once per year in the same session (i.e., Summer 2020 and Summer 2021) OR twice per year in nonconsecutive sessions (i.e., Spring 2021 and Fall 2021). Additionally, an individual will not be eligible to participate at the same Host Employer if they continue to work or volunteer for you in between sessions in an amount greater than five hours/week on average. 

Current or very recent employees are not eligible to participate with you as an intern under this program unless they have been working for the Host Employer less than six weeks leading up to the session start date. 

MassCEC does not provide an eligibility check on interns before the check is specifically requested by a potential employer due to the large number of student applications we receive every session.

Host Employers are not permitted to require or request that an intern sign a non-compete agreement. Host Employers are permitted to use non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement to protect any sensitive information. 

If a hired intern terminates employment during the internship, the Host Employer has until three weeks after the start date referenced in the initial offer letter to hire a new intern. After the three-week window has passed, the Host Employer’s funding will be awarded to a company on the waitlist. New interns must be approved by MassCEC. 

Government and academic institutions are not eligible to receive funding under this program. However, they may use the database to identify potential interns. Contact internships@masscec.com for details.