AFDW begins paid summer hire internship program

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle
  • Air Force District of Washington Command Information
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. --  Students seeking rewarding careers in federal public service can now apply for short-term, paid internships with Air Force District of Washington.

The announcements will remain open through June 16 and the temporary employment period will not exceed Sept. 30. Summer hires are not eligible for subsequent noncompetitive conversion to other Pathways program appointments or extension beyond Sept. 30.

“The program gives applicants who are in school or will be in school the opportunity for real-life experience in their occupation to ensure that the students’ career experience here aligns with their academic studies,” said Antoinette Mills, AFDW student program manager and former intern.

Office of Personnel Management internship and federal government suitability requirements state that students must show proof of enrollment or pending enrollment in an accredited college or university and be at least 16 years of age to qualify, Mills said.

Current or projected students must be enrolled at least half time, six semester credits or nine credits for the quarter system, and must sustain a 2.0 grade point average.

Additionally, interested candidates must sign a participant agreement and be U.S. citizens or nationals (including resident of American Samoa or Swains Island) and be eligible to work under U.S. immigration laws. Males age 18 and older must be registered for Selective Service.

According to Sheila Relerford, AFDW staffing and classification branch chief, the summer hire program here has run successfully since 2010, with the exception of the program’s pause last year during the federal hiring freeze.

Relerford noted that each hiring cycle brings about 15-25 students who take on relevant administrative duties here, the 11th Wing, or with other mission partners who request applicants.

The program has produced a number of success stories, Relerford recounted, noting an intern who began here a few years ago while working on his master’s degree. “He came on as a summer hire for AFDW A4 [Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection] and is still with us today after AFDW picked him up as a ‘Copper Cap’ contracting intern.”

Over all, Relerford said she hopes the program remains successful in giving students the opportunity to learn about the federal government, especially as it relates to the U.S. military.
“We hope they learn the structure of the military, and how we work hand in hand with the military to support one another,” she said. “We’d like to give them a clear pathway for where they want to go, whether it be federal government or private sector.”

Mills shares Relerford’s sentiment and emphasized the program’s ultimate goal. “We use this as an opportunity to grow our own; we invest in these people and hopefully they’ll stay with us and continue to flourish.”

For additional general information on summer hire internship programs, visit OPM: https://www.opm.gov/about-us/careers-at-opm/students-recent-graduates/

Apply specifically for jobs at AFDW by visiting:

GS-03: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/493704500

GS-04: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/496214100

GS-05: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/496025900