County staff outline internship program results and changes for 2026 with statewide partner

Ashley Sunica, assistant director in the county’s Human Resources department, presented results from the 2025 summer internship program and outlined planned changes for 2026.

Sunica said the county budgeted $2,600,000 for 2025, which would have funded 650 student interns; the program hired 578 students who earned $15 an hour for up to 160 hours. Thirty coordinators were hired and paid $25 per hour. The Las Cruces area schools accounted for 440 hires, Gadsden had 84 and Hatch had 54.

The program included 106 business partners (82 in Las Cruces, 21 in Gadsden and 3 in Hatch) and offered a financial-literacy and career-exploration curriculum covering banking basics, budgeting, credit, paychecks and alternatives to college. Sunica said the county was still working to obtain complete training-hours data from Gadsden.

For 2026, Sunica said the New Mexico Public Education Department will partner with Education at Work, a national nonprofit, to serve as employer of record, standardize program requirements across participating counties and reduce the county’s administrative burden. Education at Work will provide payroll consistency and a strict timeline intended to have students working by June 1.

Commissioners asked about outreach and distribution of placements across school districts. Sunica said the county historically allocated placements proportionally by school enrollment; staff will continue to send flyers to schools and to schedule an additional public presentation once specifics from Education at Work are available.

No formal board vote was taken; staff said they will return with updates after their call with Education at Work.