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Internships
Federal agencies courting students

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Working for the federal government won't necessarily make one rich, but the experience can benefit students over the length of their careers. And these days, student internships at some US agencies are plentiful, say career specialists.

''With budgets being cut, there is less money available to pay college students, but a lot of government agencies are trying to reach out to young people because 50 percent of the country's federal workers could be eligible to retire in five years,'' said Jennifer Clinton, a spokeswoman for The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Services, a nonprofit organization that links students at 500 colleges and universities to internships in the private and public sector, including government agencies in Washington, D.C. It also offers scholarships of up to $3,500 to help pay living expenses for those selected for unpaid internships.

''For the agencies, the idea of using an internship program to recruit a new generation of leaders is a hot topic,'' said Clinton. ''So, they are spending a lot of time reaching out to colleges and trying to improve their internship programs. One agency came out and streamlined its website with information about scholarships for students from other states who are selected for unpaid internships in Washington, D.C.''

But Clinton adds that despite the high level of interest from these agencies, students still need to be vigilant in pursuing internships because of the slow economy and tight job market. ''Because of the economy, it is now very competitive and agencies are being flooded with applications from college students who want to work here in the summer.''

Typically, juniors and seniors seeking summer internships in Washington, D.C., earn between $10 to $15 per hour, noted Clinton. For freshmen and sophomores, however, most government internships are unpaid. The center provides up to $3,500 in scholarships to help defray living expenses, and it also matches students with advisers who track their progress during the internship and help them adjust to life away from home.

Among the federal agencies with the greatest demand for interns: The Department of Defense, the US Department of Agriculture, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to Clinton, the Department of Defense wants engineering and computer science students for clerical and communications jobs. The USDA is looking for international affairs majors who want to learn more about foreign trade. The EPA wants prelaw or political science students or those majoring in the sciences. The Office of Personnel Management is looking for students to help with clerical and administrative work.

If you're a college student looking for summer work with the government, foundations, nonprofits or private companies in Washington, D.C., contact The Washington Center. This year, it has extended its application deadline to April 30 to accommodate the increased demand. Students can download an application at www.twc.edu.

''We require that applicants do informational interviews with someone in the field they wish to be in,'' Clinton said. ''We will also work to facilitate an interview for them. We also require two letters of recommendation, an essay on professional goals, and another essay on a policy issue that relates to their academic studies.''

The center also requires a resume and an official college transcript as well as a $60 application fee. ''This allows us to get a real commitment from applicants,'' Clinton said. ''It helps us gauge their seriousness. Since these young people will be risking their comfort zone to live in Washington, we look for focus - not a particular job - but on a particular interest. We want young people who have a passion for something, whether it's for working with children or for civil rights. We also want to know how involved they are with other organizations on campus.''

The government isn't the only organization that will be aggressively hiring interns this summer. Union Summer, the college internship program sponsored by the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, expects to put some 500 college students to work in 2003 as union organizers.

They'll receive a stipend of $250 to $300 per week, plus room and board. Students will be sent to communities across the country to help unions like the Service Employees International Union organize workplaces. The experience can also lead to full-time employment after graduation, says the AFL-CIO. College graduates who wish to pursue the work full-time receive training at the union federation's organizing institute in Washington, D.C., before being placed with a national union.

Yoni Cohen, 22, of Lexington, and a political science and finance major at Washington University in St. Louis, spent last summer working for the SEIU in Atlanta. Cohen, who says he is drawn to community activism, also spent one summer working for a human rights organization in Denmark. The internship was unpaid, but the organization paid his airfare and offered a stipend for living expenses.

''I'm interested in changing the conditions of people's lives,'' he said. ''If you have a passion for those kinds of issues, then you need to find a way to work on them full time.''

DIANE E. LEWIS

Single mothers
Report says aid lags rise in jobless rates

The Children's Defense Fund reports that joblessness has increased sharply among single mothers, but welfare cash assistance programs are not helping them make up the lost earnings. The report, released last week, found that unemployment among low-income single mothers rose in 2002. In all, said the report, 180,750 lost jobs. It also noted that in the previous six years, unemployment among this group of mothers dropped at an annual rate of 194,000.

DIANE E. LEWIS

Management
Workers cite little faith in their leaders

Thanks to the Enron Corp. debacle, other corporate accounting scandals, and skyrocketing executive pay, workers aren't too happy with management these days. So says Maritz Poll, a consumer and opinion survey conducted by Maritz Research in St. Louis.

The report says that 22 percent of employees disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement that company leaders are honest or ethical. Twenty-one percent said their employers do not inspire them to do their best, and 18 percent say they are dissatisfied with the way they are managed at work.

''Employees have become increasingly distrustful of company leaders,'' said Rick Garlick, director of strategic consulting at Maritz. ''Employees see themselves as much more aligned with their direct bosses than their relatively far-removed company leaders.''

DIANE E. LEWIS

Boston
Networking group seeks out minorities

Here's a networking opportunity: The Nubian Professionals, a networking organization whose goal is to help minority professionals in the Boston area meet and socialize, is launching a new organization. Called The Professionals Connection, the new networking group will host a spring membership drive for 2003 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on April 27 at 5 p.m.

Leonard Webb, founder of both Boston area groups, said the new entity will focus on professional career development. Its events will include professional networking opportunities with local employers or industry specialists, an annual career fair, and cultural programs. For more information, call 508-380-6784.

DIANE E. LEWIS

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