OPM Must Create a Federal Intern Database

President Obama on Dec. 31 signed legislation that requires the government to create and maintain a centralized database of people who have finished or are about to finish internships at federal agencies.

The Federal Internship Improvement Act, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act legislation, requires the Office of Personnel Management to standardize information on application procedures and deadlines for federal internship programs and make that information publicly available online.

The law also requires OPM to create a centralized database that contains the names, contact information and relevant skills of people who have completed or are nearing completion of an internship program and are currently seeking full-time federal employment.

The law will help agencies "identify top-notch candidates for federal jobs to replace the brain drain that will result as more Baby Boomers -- more than 45 percent of the workforce -- retire from the federal government over the next decade," said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., who co-sponsored the amendment.

Agencies are required under the law to designate and make publicly available the name of an internship coordinator to ensure all agencies are effectively managing internship programs. They also must regularly conduct exit interviews and surveys when interns leave to help them improve their internship programs.

In addition, the legislation requires agencies to send a report to OPM every September detailing the number of interns who participated in internships, information on demographic characteristics of interns and a description of the steps taken to increase the percentage of interns offered permanent federal jobs.

The law comes as OPM is preparing to launch a new Student Pathways initiative in May that will consolidate several internship programs and provide training, mentoring and career development opportunities for students and recent graduates.

A 2009 report by the Partnership for Public Service found that in 2007, only 6.6 percent of student interns at federal agencies were hired into full-time permanent jobs. That compares with the private sector, which converted 50.5 percent of interns into permanent, full-time positions, the Partnership found.

"Student internships provide a low-cost way for federal managers to assess the skills and aptitude of entry-level talent and to select those who are most capable and productive for permanent employment," said Partnership President Max Stier. "During these times of budget constraints, it is more important that ever to get every hire right."