Grafton’s Luke Drabyn finishes government internship in Maine

AUGUSTA
This summer, Luke Drabyn of Grafton participated in the Margaret Chase Smith Internship program with the Maine Department of Labor. Drabyn worked for the Bureau of Labor Standards.

Drabyn, a government and legal studies and Russian language major at Bowdoin College, worked on a project that overhauled and updated more than 70 PowerPoint presentations on workplace safety. He condensed standards from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration into easy-to-read slideshows that will be used across the state to educate employers.

Drabyn said, “I’ve learned a ton about the inner workings of state government, its capabilities, as well as its inevitable limitations. I definitely have a much stronger grasp on subjects like federal work regulation. As a government major, this experience will really help when it comes time to secure a job once I graduate.”

“This great group of interns has brought a fresh perspective to the Department of Labor this summer,” said Commissioner of Labor Jeanne Paquette. “We appreciate their hard work; they have not only learned about the department but they have also served the people of Maine. Most important for them, they have learned valuable skills that will help them wherever their career paths lead.”

Drabyn said that, after graduation, he hopes “to work in Washington” in an international affairs-related think tank or for the State Department, focusing on national security issues and/or U.S.–Russia relations.

The Maine Department of Labor administers Maine’s unemployment insurance system, helps ensure the safety of employees and provides workforce development leadership and vocational rehabilitation services throughout the state.

The Maine State Government Summer Internship Program combines paid work experience with an educational program. Administered by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine, it is a collaboration involving the Office of the Governor, the Maine Bureau of Human Resources and Maine state government agencies.