Expanded Woman and Girls Internship Program Kicks Off Fall Semester

Last week over 100 female students from across the country began internships in transportation through the expanded DOT Entrepreneurial Training Women and Girls Internship Program. The expansion of this program, operated through DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), is part of the department’s ongoing effort to increase the participation of women in the transportation industry and prepare young women to become the nation’s future leaders.

 

“We’re very excited to kick-off the fall semester of our expanded Women’s Internship Program.  Both Secretary LaHood and I congratulate these young women on their acceptance into the program and are looking forward to their future leadership roles in transportation,” commented OSDBU Director Brandon Neal.

These young women will have an opportunity to work for state departments of transportation, transit agencies, airports, private businesses, banks, and technical resource centers.  Administered through the department’s 11 Small Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRC) which provide resources, technical assistance and outreach to all 50 states and U.S. territories, each SBTRC is responsible for placing qualified female college students in transportation related internships throughout their regions.

The expanded program, based on a successful pilot with Spelman College that Secretary LaHood announced with Congressman John Lewis and OSDBU Director Neal in Atlanta in 2009, is part of a broader effort led by the White House to ensure that federal programs and policies take into account the distinct needs and concerns of women and girls.