Intern Program

​​​IT Co-Op/Internships

There's Nothing Like an Internship or Co-op to Kick-Start a Career!
One of the best options today for college and technical school students taking a technology career path is right under their nose: Kentucky state government.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky operates one of the largest Enterprise IT systems in the state, public or private. This Enterprise system requires the services of a highly skilled IT workforce to maintain daily operations. In order to continue to service these systems well into the next decade, the Commonwealth Office of Technology (COT) is in need of interns or co-op students interested in gaining valuable skills and seeking long-term civil service careers after they graduate.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky offers a competitive salary with benefits that are appealing to entry-level IT professionals. Job security, a quality health plan, a retirement plan, work location, education opportunities and a challenging work environment are just a few of the many benefits that are available to those who choose a career of service to the Commonwealth.

The day-to-day challenges of maintaining and extending the networks and systems that comprise the Commonwealth’s Enterprise are a great source of job satisfaction and pride for many state employees.​​

COT IT Co-Op/Intern Program Overview

The Commonwealth Co-Op/Intern Education Placement Program is managed by the Personnel Cabinet in service to other Commonwealth Cabinets and agencies.

The COT IT Co-op/Intern program extends the Commonwealth’s Co-Op/Intern Education Placement Program. The COT IT Co-op/Intern program is an agency managed initiative that adds additional requirements for internship participation with the Commonwealth Office of Technology. The additional requirements are crafted to narrow the focus to support semi-experienced IT students.

COT participation specifications are designed to target IT students. Our goal is to insure a quality work experience for the student while receiving some measure of productivity from the internship. Students in the program should expect to receive real world experience from working side-by-side with seasoned IT professionals who support many critical Commonwealth Enterprise systems.

Successful candidates for the COT IT Co-op/Intern program must meet the requirements of the Commonwealth Co-Op/Intern Education Placement Program. The COT qualifications for participation are defined by the IT departments of each education institution from the Internship Experience Descriptions listed on this page. The requirements generally will be set by the education institution based on education experience level and course prerequisites. To participate a student must:

  • meet all of the criteria for participation in the Commonwealth Co-Op/Intern Education Placement Program;
  • be an IT student in good standing with a Kentucky University;
  • have the qualifications outlined in the COT internship experience descriptions and a recommendation from the student’s university IT department;
  • successfully complete an interview with COT.

How to Get Started

Students interested in COT's IT internship/co-op program can contact their University’s IT department.  For applications and general requirements for enrolling in the Commonwealth Co-Op/Intern Education Placement Program, visit the Personnel Cabinet's Intern/Co-op Program Web site.

Internship Experience Descriptions

Software Development Internship

  • Under immediate supervision, performs beginning level computer programming in Java, .NET and/or COBOL.
  • Codes, tests and debugs simple computer programs from specifications.
  • Attends development training activities.
  • Writes and modifies scripts.
  • Modifies existing computer programs requiring simple logic changes.
  • Develops and compiles data to test programs.
  • Develops component designs.
  • Assists in writing of specifications for the development, maintenance or modification of programs.
  • Prepares and maintains program documentation.

Systems Analyst Internship

  • Under immediate supervision, performs beginning level systems analysis.
  • Analyzes users' requests and works with users in the development or modification of simple computer systems.
  • Assists in planning and feasibility/requirements analysis for proposed systems.
  • Prepares the format of input and output documents, screens and files to meet the design objective.
  • Assists in writing specifications for systems development.
  • Attends training activities that include interviewing techniques, requirements gathering, note taking, data
  • presentation, technical writing, input and output formatting and preparation of materials for executive presentation.
  • Assists in the development or modification of system documentation.

Network Support Internship

  • Under immediate supervision, performs beginning level network services.
  • Works primarily with a limited range of network components.
  • Receives problem reports from users, makes inquiries to determine nature of the problem and refers problem to appropriate staff.
  • Relies on network management software and diagnostic techniques to accomplish problem definition.
  • Assists with delivery and installation of network equipment and performs other duties as required.
  • Receives user problem reports via telephone.
  • Documents user problems utilizing online information management software.
  • Understands basic concepts of systems and applications.
  • Learns to respond to prompts from network management software.
  • Learns to identify and understand the function of basic network components.
  • Learns to use console commands for starting remote devices, databases and programs.
  • Learns to reset passwords.
  • Assists with site inspections.
  • Delivers and assists with installation of hardware, wiring and cabling.

 Desktop Support Internship

  • Under direct supervision, learns to manage agency software, hardware, and applications portfolio, including assisting with software installations and upgrades, data conversions and change control functions.
  • Assists local area network or departmental systems administrators with problem resolution.
  • Learns to write simple routines for system procedures, such as system start up, shut down, back up and recovery of databases.
  • Learns to install and maintain system hardware and software such as workstations, printers and operating systems, control systems, proprietary software packages, query languages, information dissemination tools, electronic mail and data base management software.
  • Learns to install and maintain servers on local area networks.
  • Coordinates system and LAN changes with users or with change control function.
  • Assists with system generations, peripheral device installation and configuration generations, node or network address definitions.
  • Monitors system performance and storage capacities.
  • Notifies supervisor of hardware or software problems, or of scheduled maintenance which will result in loss of service to users.
  • Maintains technical documentation and user manuals.
  • Participates in investigation and resolution of system hardware and software problems.
  • Provides simple operational assistance to users.