Most students don’t know that government agencies hire students for summer jobs. Many government agencies participate in the Student Educational Employment Program (SCEP) and welcome students of all ages. Students from high school to graduate school participate in any number of summer job opportunities with government offices.
The Student Educational Employment Program was established in 1994, replacing the old Federal Student Employment Program. The SCEP was formed by consolidating four other government programs for students into one. The four programs at the time were the Cooperative Education Program, Federal Junior Fellowship Program, Stay-In-School Program and the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Program.
Students who are looking for summer jobs and would like to work for a government agency should begin the job application process early.
In the search for a summer job with a government agency, the first stop would be to find more about government agencies. The A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies is the place to begin the research. The list of government agencies is alphabetized and the information pretty easy to read. If you don’t know what you might be interested in doing in a summer job and look at the names of the government agencies. Some will be familiar to you, but most will not be.
For example, if you are interested in agriculture, you might be curious about a summer job in a government agency involved with agriculture. For illustration purposes on the A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies select the Agricultural Marketing Services. The website will not only give you a link to the Agricultural Marketing Services web site, it will also allow you to search for farmers markets where you live. You might even want to explore a local farmers market for a summer job.
Once you select the website of the specific government agency, spend some time researching more about the agency. Look for web links that will take you to employment information. For example, on the website of the Agricultural Marketing Services, select the “Opportunities” link and look for information on summer jobs under the name of Student Career Experience Program (SCEP).
In the case of the Agricultural Marketing Services, there is a Poultry Programs Student Career Experience Program. There will be clear instructions on how to apply for the SCEP program including instructions for resume, cover letter and application deadlines. In most cases there will also be a specific person at this government agency to contact with questions regarding summer jobs.
As with most employment, knowing where to look and what steps to take, are two of the biggest hurdles to finding a summer job with a government agency.
Sources:
Student Educational Employment Program – Office of Personnel Management
Agricultural Marketing Services
Summer job articles on Yahoo Voices