In its latest effort to bring younger workers into the federal workforce, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposed several changes to its premier internship program.
The Pathways Programs, which includes the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) as well as programs for college students and recent graduates, were founded in 2012, with the goal of bringing students and recent graduates into the federal workforce. The regulations governing Pathways have not been updated since then.
“The purpose of this proposal is to streamline the Pathways regulations, making it easier for agencies to recruit and hire Pathways program participants, and to optimize the Pathways program as a tool to recruit and retain diverse and highly-qualified early career talent,” wrote OPM in its proposed regulations published in the Federal Register.
Expanding Eligibility Expanding eligibility is a key feature of the proposed changes. Under the proposal, applicants who do not have a traditional college degree but who have completed certain “technical education programs” would be eligible for the program. In addition, experience in organizations like the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and JobCorps would count in lieu of traditional education. OPM says the goal is to get a broader, more diverse applicant pool. It also aligns the program with the federal government’s push to move toward a more skills-based hiring system rather than one that is based largely on formal education credentials.
The proposed changes also broaden the ability to convert internships into full-time positions. Under the proposal, agencies would have 180 days to convert an intern into a full-time position, instead of the current 120 days, which is often not enough time to complete background checks. OPM aims to cut the 640 required hours to qualify for a full-time federal position, allowing half of those hours to come from a Registered Apprenticeship Program or the Job Corps. Interns would also have flexibility in work choice, with the proposed regulations making it easier to move from one agency to another.
OPM is seeking public feedback on the changes. The public comment period ends on October 2, 2023, and is 45 days instead of the usual 60 days. OPM says the expedited comment period will allow for the new rules to take effect in time for summer internship recruiting season.
“Updating the Pathways Programs will allow the federal government to better compete with other sectors for talent and ensure the paths to public service are clear and free,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja in a statement.
This comes as the Biden Administration has made bolstering the federal internships ranks a key feature of its workforce agenda. The administration has made paying interns a priority and set a goal of hiring 35,000 interns in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.
Source: FEDMANAGER
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