Building Career Pipelines

Overview

Temporary assignments designed for a student, intern or fellow to complement their educational curriculum with related on-the-job experience can be a strategic part of a department’s overall recruitment strategy to expand its potential candidate pipeline.

The goal of these assignments is for individuals to gain real-world knowledge related to their field of study. Any such assignment cannot be used to perform duties or work in place of permanent civil service employee. These assignments should be structured for the benefit of the learner. The advantage for the department is an investment in potential future applicants and an opportunity to showcase the benefits of working for the state in general and for that department specifically.

By contrast, a volunteer is an unpaid individual who would like to contribute their knowledge, skills and ideas to a department. Volunteers may or may not be associated with a professional organization.

While CalHR does not have oversight authority over internships or fellowships, the information provided is intended to raise departments’ awareness and provide a starting point when considering employee pipeline opportunities.

Considerations

Prior to welcoming any student assistant, internship, fellowship, or volunteer to their workforce, departments must ensure they are in compliance with:

Departments are encouraged to consult with their internal human resources, contracts/procurement, labor relations and legal teams early in the program design process to ensure they are following all laws, rules, government code, and internal policies as well as to make any needed determinations specific to workers’ compensation and any mandatory training.

Student Assistant, Internship and Fellowship Options

Student Assistants State Classifications

The purpose of the Student Assistant and Graduate Student Assistant classifications are to familiarize college students with career possibilities in state employment, gain student interest in state employment, and perform specialized project work related to their field of study.

Review the following Student Assistant class specifications to see which may be the best fit for your organization:

Non-Civil Service Student Assistants

A contract with an educational entity or other organization provides a non-civil service option. Contract Student Assistants are not state employees, and the majority of the hiring and other administrative functions are addressed by the contracted entity.

Internships and Fellowships

Departmental internship and fellowship programs typically involve working with external educational organizations. Similar to a non-civil service student assistant program, the majority of the hiring and other administrative functions are generally addressed by the external organization. Departments may be involved in a final candidate screening process, and many programs require the intern or fellow to conduct work connected to their course of study.

The Sample Internship Guide is a reference tool available to departments who are interested in establishing an internship program.

Volunteers

Departments may leverage the services of volunteers as long as the services they provide do not supersede the work of state employees. The experience volunteers have with a department may inspire them to join the state workforce. Although volunteers are not considered state employees and are not typically affiliated with an external educational or professional entity, departments are permitted to cover them via workers’ compensation insurance programs.

Apprenticeships

By contrast to student assistants, internships, fellowships, and volunteers, apprenticeships are registered programs for state employees that incorporate education and on-the-job training to advance in their careers.