Email this page  Print this page  del.icio.us  digg

Federal government seeks Hispanics for civil service jobs

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has launched an initiative to hire more Hispanic employees

Uncle Sam, it does appear, wants you.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has launched an initiative that seeks to hire more Hispanic employees for its federal civil service agencies in an effort to improve the representation of Latinos among its workforce.

The plan includes recruitment and support at the college level, the use of internship and mentoring programs, career development and monitoring the progress of Hispanic employees.

The government is using an official Web site to give Hispanic job seekers access to current job vacancies, employment information sheets, applications and forms. In some instances, potential employees can apply online. Job announcements can be downloaded at this site as well as resumes built and submitted.

The OPM suggests college students also seek the following resources to assist in starting their search for an executive career in the federal civil service arena:

The Student Education Employment Program offers a jump start by providing valuable, paid work experience while a student is still in school. Opportunities range from summer jobs to positions that can last as long as a student is enrolled in school.

The PMG Program encourages graduate students with an interest in program analysis and public policy careers to seek a two-year appointment, after which fellows may be eligible for permanent employment.

An internship through the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) provides employment opportunities for students who are interested in gaining experience in a variety of government fields. There are 10 internships available during the spring, summer and fall semesters. However, HACU interns are not federal employees. For information, contact HACU at (202) 467-0893.

By participating in Student Volunteer Service, high school and college student volunteers can be involved in professional projects and work activities related to their academic studies. Activities range from honing computer skills to researching projects about wildlife initiatives, environmental concerns, and congressional issues.

Finally, the federal civil service has more than 16,000 job vacancies worldwide. For information, to get access to applications, and apply online, visit the federal government’s official job information at www.USAJOBS.opm.gov.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management unveiled its nine-point strategy to recruit, advance and retain qualified Hispanic candidates in the federal workforce:

• Support and implement the White House initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans by matching job opportunities with curriculums of Hispanic Serving Institutions.

• Provide employment information to students, faculty and members of the Hispanic community.

• Use the Presidential Management Fellows program for recruiting, converting and advancing Hispanic college graduates.

• Participate in the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Internship Program.

• Use the Student Educational Employment program as a tool to recruit Hispanic students.

• Develop mentoring programs to motivate Hispanics to pursue a federal civil career.

• Promote participation of Hispanic employees in career development programs.

• Assess the need for Hispanic Employment Program (HEP) Managers in federal agencies.

• Monitor the progress of recruiting an training Hispanic employees.