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Federal Student Educational Employment Program

The Pacific Region continually strives to increase diversity in our workforce by providing leadership and career opportunities to qualified ethnically diverse and disabled students through the federal Student Educational Employment Program.

This new, streamlined program is comprised of two components: the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP), and the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP).

  • The STEP provides maximum flexibility to both students and managers because the nature of the work does not have to be related to the student's academic or career goals. Student Intern with BOEMRE Inspector

  • The SCEP, however, provides work experience which is directly related to the student's academic program and career goals. Students in the SCEP may be non-competitively converted to term, career or career-conditional appointments following completion of their academic and work experience requirements.

The Student Educational Employment Program benefits both agencies and students. Agencies can discover first-hand the abilities of a potential employee. In the case of SCEP, agencies can bring well educated graduates into their workforce while at the same time give their managers the ability to evaluate the student's performance in real work situations. Students, on the other hand, can avail themselves of such flexibilities as year round employment and flexible work schedules and assignments. Students in the SCEP gain exposure to public service while enhancing their educational goals and shaping their career choices.

Students accompany Bureau geologist on geologic field trip.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are students eligible for annual and sick leave?

Are students eligible for health and life insurance benefits?

Are students eligible for retirement benefits?

What types of work schedules are available?

May students alternate school and work (e.g. work full-time this semester, and next semester go to school full-time, and not work at all)?

For questions, email OPM at general@opm.gov, or call 202-606-2131

On-Line Resources

General Information    
Student Jobs.gov
Federal Agency Information Gateway
Federal Jobs by College Major
Internships
Student Career Experience Program
Summer Employment
Volunteer Service

Student interns visit offshore platform Inspector illustrates review measures used at offshore platforms


The four main objectives of the student employment programs are:

  • to merge academic study with practical application for students majoring in relevant fields and related disciplines;
  • to create a consort of talented students to explore and understand professional practices through exposure to research and development, technology, administration and the government environment;
  • to provide professional experience for ethnically diverse students and students with disabilities that will enable them to make educated and informed career choices; and
  • to create a pool of future employees who have had positive, meaningful work experience with the federal government, and who might consider federal service as a serious career choice.

It is policy in the Department of the Interior that no person in the U.S. shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in any of its federally assisted programs or activities. Additionally, discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation is strictly prohibited in DOI's federally assisted programs; statutory authority language contains specific prohibitions against sex discrimination.

Student visiting an offshore platform

Students in both programs earn annual and sick leave.

Computer technician intern 

Students in the Student Temporary Employment Program are considered temporary employees and are generally not entitled to these benefits. However, once students have been continuously employed for a year without a break in service exceeding 5 days, they may enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, but they would have to pay 100 percent of the premium (i.e., both the employee and government share). There is no provision for temporary employees to be eligible for life insurance coverage.

Students in the Student Career Experience Program are eligible for both health and life insurance coverage as long as they are expected to be employed under this appointment authority for at least one year and are expected to be in a pay status for at least one-third of the total period of time from the date of their initial appointment to the date of the completion of the program. Cost of premiums is split between the employee and the agency, as for all permanent employees.

Student intern prepares to accompany inspector

Students in the Student Temporary Employment Program are generally ineligible for retirement coverage.  Students in the Student Career Experience Program with less than 5 years of prior civilian service are generally covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

Students participate in sample identification

Students may work any number of hours acceptable to both parties.  Part-time employment restricts employees to no more than 32 hours per week.

The student, school and agency need to work together to accommodate the academic needs of the student and the work related needs of the agency. For students participating in the Student Career Experience Program there must be a written agreement and a formally arranged schedule of school and work.

Students learn about natural tar seeps

For questions, email the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at general@opm.gov, or call 202-606-2131

If interested in student opportunities, please either mail, fax or email your resume or statement of qualifications to:

Department of Interior
Western Administrative Service Center
P.O. Box 25165, MS 2720
Denver, CO 80225-0165 FAX: 303-275-7354