College Student? You Can Apply For A Paid Internship With The Illinois Tollway

The Illinois Tollway is inviting college students to apply for its 2024 Internship Program with opportunities to learn firsthand about engineering, information technology, finance, communications and many more professional careers. Eligible students can apply online on the Tollway’s website through March 31.

“An internship with the Illinois Tollway puts students on a fast track for success,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “We offer a first-class, hands-on program that provides an opportunity to see every part of the operation from the inside. One day, they might be wearing a safety vest and hard hat, the next day, writing social media posts or designing a new highway. It’s the type of experience students can put on their resume to get a leg up when it’s time to enter the job market.”

Students interested in learning more about the Illinois Tollway’s Internship Programs can sign up for a live online information session on Wednesday, March 13, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., or view a recording of the session in the Careers section on the Tollway’s website.

The Tollway’s paid internships provide students with opportunities to gain new skills through hands-on experience working in the transportation industry. Flexible scheduling is available in this internship to enable students to participate on part-time basis, working 20 to 30 hours weekly.

The Illinois Tollway’s annual Professional Services Internships begin June 3 and run through August 9, offering students an opportunity to work with assigned mentors to develop and apply new professional skills. Interns will work in different Tollway departments, including hands-on experience with administration, finance, operations, communications and information technology, to gain insight and perspective in how those departments operate successfully.

The Professional Services Internships also include a Business Systems internship that runs from June 2024 through May 2025 and offers a comprehensive internship that focuses on providing students with the specialized skills and training needed to work in the agency’s Business Systems Department responsible for the operation and maintenance of electronic tolling strategy, equipment and solutions, self-service website and Illinois Tollway App, as well as collection of toll revenue.

To participate in the Professional Services Internships, students must be currently enrolled in a college certificate or degree program or have graduated from a college certificate or degree program between December 2023 and June 2024.

The Tollway also offers a year-long Engineering Cooperative Education Internship, available June 2024 through May 2025, to provide engineering students with a collaborative learning experience that enables them to use their academic knowledge while they work on specific construction projects under the guidance of Illinois Tollway engineering project managers. The Engineering Co-Op offers training in different aspects of the field, including project management, structural drafting and 3-D modeling, and construction inspections and traffic maintenance.

To qualify for the Engineering Cooperative Education Internship, students must be currently enrolled at an accredited technical/vocational program, college or university, studying engineering or a related program with an interest in learning about roadway engineering.

All internship programs will occur in a hybrid work environment, however interns must have reliable transportation to the Illinois Tollway’s headquarters in Downers Grove on a frequent basis. Engineering Co-Op interns will typically be required to be present for more in-person work since they will be assigned to a specific construction site.

The Illinois Tollway’s Internship Programs offer students practical experience in different segments of the transportation industry and government, as well as access to leadership and professional growth activities to help further their careers. Students selected will receive supportive mentoring to help them gain skills that will enable them to become leaders in their chosen professions.