Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released guidance today on increasing opportunities for internships, fellowships, apprenticeships, and other student and early career programs in the Federal Government. This guidance advances the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) and strengthens the Federal government’s ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote, and retain the nation’s best talent as outlined in Executive Order 14035.

“Early career programs are a critical pathway into Federal service,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja. “Whether someone is entering the workforce for the first time or changing professions, these programs offer public servants an opportunity to demonstrate their talents and potential. By increasing opportunities and removing barriers to hiring interns, fellows, and apprentices, Federal agencies can boost their talent pipelines and better serve the American people.”

The guidance advises agencies to:

• Increase the number of interns, fellows, apprentices, and early career hires across the Federal Government, with an emphasis on increasing paid internship opportunities and decreasing reliance on unpaid internships
• Better coordinate and fund strategic Federal internship, fellowships and early career hiring programs
• Focus on the strategic development and implementation of Federal internship, fellowship, and early career hiring programs – while holding senior leaders accountable to using these programs to build an inclusive and diverse Federal workforce talent pipeline

Pathways Programs, which includes the Internship Program, Recent Graduates Program, and the Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program, has opportunities for paid internships available to students now on usajobs.gov.