The Value of Interns to County Government

For employers, internships are an outstanding opportunity to demonstrate the rewards of a career in the public sector. They allow organizations to showcase the culture of the organization as well as commitment to public service. Departments can reveal the depth and breadth of the office, with the myriad functions that together provide essential services to even the most vulnerable populations. In turn, internships help expand the labor pool as organizations face the silver tsunami of retirements and bring the next generation of workers to consider careers in the public sector.

Internships are an opportunity to teach students some foundational business skills and etiquette. They should receive feedback on interviewing skills and professional attire. They need to be introduced to various office equipment including multiline phones, scanners, complex copiers and temperamental shredders. They need to be shown electronic and paper filing systems, intranets and electronic phone directories. Detailed conversations should include what is on-time to work, customer service, ethics and professionalism.

One important question you need to consider is whether they will be paid or unpaid interns. This question is more complex in the public sector for the simple reason that the Department of Labor considers nearly all internships in the private sector to be employment.

The Department of Labor Fact Sheet #71 provides great clarity in the use of unpaid interns, including the following six criteria to assist you in making this determination. Only when all of the criteria below are met can the internship be unpaid.

1. “The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment.” This means that the intern must have instruction and training by staff. Interns should shadow staff and be exposed to many facets of all the jobs within the department. Supervisors and trainers should be selected based on their ability to patiently explain, give detail and answer questions. Much attention should be paid to the how and why of the work, the connection to the mission and the work’s meaning to the strategic plan.
2. “The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.” The organization is not listed as a beneficiary here, as the organization is not receiving work product from the intern. The supervisor is spending time away from their duties training the intern or is slower in performing duties while explaining the details. The intern is gaining knowledge, skills and abilities that will help them be a professional and productive contributor throughout their career. If the intern is receiving school credit, this is an additional benefit to the intern. The school may have additional requirements, criteria and reporting that must be completed on behalf of the student.
3. “The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff.” This requirement again reinforces the close supervision of staff. Additionally, if the presence of the intern causes the department to not need to hire certain paid staff, the intern will need to be paid. This also means interns may not complete the work identical to another staff member. For example, the intern may not take a shift or turn covering the front counter.
4. “The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded.” The Fact Sheet goes on to state that the intern cannot engage “in the operations of the employer” or perform “productive work” and lists filing as an example. The intern’s level of supervision is greater than the level of supervision received by employees. An unpaid intern is actually a training burden to the employer, but this arrangement is an investment the employer is making in the future of the next generation of public servants.
5. “The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.” Internships should align with the school semester and be designed so that the time spent at the internship aligns with the student’s class schedule for that semester. The end date should be clearly communicated at the beginning of the internship. This prevents the internship from becoming or appearing to be a trial period for a regular position. This is not to say that interns may not eventually become employees, but to do so they must compete in an open, competitive recruitment.
6. “The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.” Employers need to clearly share expectations including start and end dates, and how the intern will receive school credit, if applicable. This will be even more critical if the department has both paid and unpaid interns, who will compare their internship experiences, responsibilities and level of supervision.

If there is doubt that your intern meets all of the above criteria, it is safer to compensate the intern and classify them as a temporary employee. Once you have determined if your intern will be paid or unpaid, prepare the questions to interview your potential interns. Some questions to consider include:

What excites and motivates you about this internship?

What coursework and/or experience have prepared you for this experience?

What are your long term career goals and how does this internship lend itself toward the completion of those goals?

How will you measure success in this internship?

What are your expectations for this internship?

Tell us what you know about our organization and department.

If you were to receive this internship, what would your availability be?

After the internship has begun, encourage the intern to ask questions and clearly communicate. Interns should understand that the engagement they put in to the internship will have a direct correlation to what they learn as a result of the internship. The enthusiasm and zest interns bring to the workplace will invigorate the department, demonstrating the symbiotic relationship for both intern and employer.

Whether they are paid or unpaid, all interns should be provided a foundation of professionalism, customer service and public service that will serve them throughout their career.