MARCH 18, 2021 – More than 1,300 students will get an opportunity to develop and hone their skills under the Department of the Air Force’s flagship summer-hire program.
The 2021 Summer Hire Employment Program provides students in high school, college, trade school, vocational school and other qualifying educational programs with opportunities to work in federal departments and agencies and to explore federal careers while still in school, said Tracy Wise, Civilian Recruitment and Placement branch chief.
In past years and pre-COVID-19, the program, which runs from May through September, would have upwards of 2,000 available positions. This year, the Air Force’s Personnel Center received 1,318 requests from participating stateside and overseas bases.
“In order to ensure the safety of the participants and be in compliance with public health guidance, the number of available positions was reduced,” Wise said. “We have to keep this and associated programs like the Pathways Internship program active to supply the civilian force pipeline with highly-qualified and skilled talent.”
Local civilian personnel sections will manage the recruitment process for their respective summer-hire programs for clerical, recreation aid, laborers and general engineering fields. AFPC will recruit and hire the lifeguard positions.
In addition to summer-hire opportunities, students can also apply for internships through the Pathways Internship program.
“An intern can be appointed to a position at any grade level for which he or she is qualified, which offers employment opportunities for eligible participants,” Wise said. “If an intern does well, they could be noncompetitively converted to an appointment within the Pathways Internship program such as Palace Acquire, Copper Cap and others.”
Students may be employed for appropriated funded positions in the grades of GS-1 to GS-5, as long as the job totals no more than 40 hours per week. Summer-hire students should only be on board for the duration of the summer-hire program.
Interested candidates can learn more about the available positions by searching using the word ‘summer hire’ or ‘student’ and apply following the directions shown on the announcement or public notice. For additional information on the Pathways Internship program and other civilian career opportunities in the Department of the Air Force, click here.
By Toni Whaley, Air Force’s Personnel Center Public Affairs