Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Municipal governments offer rewarding career pathways that provide people with the opportunity to make a direct impact in local Alberta communities. Working in municipal governments strengthens ties between people and their community and helps them gain valuable skills that can be carried across their entire professional careers.
To ensure new graduates can pursue these rewarding career pathways in municipal governance, Alberta’s government is continuing to support the Municipal Internship Program. This program helps shape future municipal leaders, empowering them with the skills and knowledge needed to build stronger, more resilient communities across the province.
“By investing in young professionals, the Municipal Internship Program is not only enhancing career opportunities for graduates but also helping municipalities adapt and thrive in a fast-evolving world. This program helps ensure municipalities are well-equipped with the talent and expertise needed to address the unique challenges and opportunities they face while also creating a clear pathway for young people to contribute meaningfully to Alberta communities.”
Internships are available in in a variety of fields critical to municipal government, including administration, finance and land-use planning. Interns participating in the program will be offered a competitive salary over the course of an 18-month term, along with professional development opportunities and mentorship from experienced professionals. This will ensure that participants will not only develop their skills but also expand their professional networks, setting the stage for long-term career growth.
“Being a planning intern was a critical step for my development as a young planner. The Municipal Internship Program is designed to expose interns to all aspects of municipal government, ensuring they build a jam-packed résumé full of experience in a short timeframe.”
Municipalities hosting interns through this program receive funding to support them in covering salary costs for the entirety of the internship term. Host municipalities will also benefit from recent post-secondary graduate students bringing a wealth of knowledge, innovative approaches to problem-solving and a keen understanding of emerging technologies, all of which are vital for strengthening municipal government capacity in a rapidly changing world.
“The Municipal Internship Program has been an invaluable asset to Lacombe County, allowing us to mentor and develop future municipal leaders. During their internship, participants gain hands-on experience across all aspects of municipal government. We’ve benefited greatly from this program, with several interns successfully transitioning into full-time roles on our planning team.”
This year, interns will have the opportunity to support their host municipalities during the 2025 general election. This participation during a municipal election will enhance their understanding of a civic process that is foundational to democracy.
Quick facts
- This is the 24th year of the Municipal Internship Program, which will have its 394th intern participate.
- Alberta’s Municipal Internship Program is the longest-running of its kind in Canada.
- Applications for the 2025 Municipal Internship Program are open until Feb. 18 at noon.
- The following municipalities will be accepting interns for this year’s intake:
- Administrator stream
- Camrose County
- City of Beaumont
- County of St. Paul
- County of Wetaskiwin
- Municipal District of Greenview
- Municipal District of Wainwright
- Town of Hinton
- Town of Magrath
- Town of Stony Plain
- Finance Officer stream
- County of Grande Prairie
- Lamont County
- Municipal District of Bonnyville
- Town of Taber
- Land-use Planner stream
- City of Chestermere
- City of Leduc
- Lacombe County
- Administrator stream
Related information
- For more information on eligibility and application requirements, visit alberta.ca/municipal-internship-program.
Multimedia
- Apply to be a municipal intern (YouTube)