Viewpoint: Doing More…With More?
Many city and county government agencies are using the phrase “doing more with less” as unfunded mandates, state and federal regulations, and the needs of community members are all on the rise. At the same time, most local governments are battling with decreasing tax revenues, layoffs, furloughs, limited grant opportunities, limited staff to manage those grants, and rising costs of products. With such limits in staffing and revenues, how can local governments continue to function efficiently, meet the needs of the community, and fulfill all of the requirements set forth by laws and regulations? Some help can be found at local colleges and universities.
Students graduating from universities are facing increasingly tight job markets. For example, beginning 2006, students from the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, who were preparing for careers in the emergency management field were looking for job experience and to increase their knowledge in the subject area. In Seminole County, Fla., the Office of Emergency Management was already facing challenges due to budgetary issues and over the next few years these challenges would become more difficult. Over the past two years, the office has lost half of its staffing, while the office’s workload did not change. By bringing on student interns, the office could increase its outputs and accomplish its goals without increasing its budget.
Through the partnership, students gain experience that can help them secure jobs upon graduation, and government agencies are able to accomplish their missions even with diminished resources. And, along with solving its budgeting problems, Seminole County Emergency Management learned some important tips that other local governments considering intern programs should keep in mind.
First, before recruiting, is important for government agencies to have a simple, detailed, description of the job expectations. The most important item to include in the job description is what the intern will get out of the program. When interviewing, students should be held to high standards and possess the same traits sought in full-time employees. Students should come prepared with a resume and be screened with a background check.
Seminole County uses UCF interns in many different areas of the emergency management office. The most obvious use for the students is to provide support during disaster operations. Additionally, their help can be used for critical projects, coordination of resources for the community’s plans, work on new programs, website management, and training exercises. Through participation in special events and public outreach programs, interns get a realistic look at how to work with the public, interact with government and non-profit agencies, and build long-lasting community relationships.
Interns should be treated like employees, receiving training and professional development opportunities. Government agency leaders should work with the students to see what types of jobs they are interested in, and use connections to make certain they have opportunities to seek employment upon completion of their internships. While the future of budgetary resources may be unknown, these partnerships allow students the opportunities needed to assist them in finding a career and allow local governments to in fact “do more… with more” during these challenging times.
— Jennifer Fleischman is a Masters of Public Administration student with UCF and a former intern with Seminole County, Fla., Emergency Management. She is currently the emergency plans and programs coordinator for UCF. She can be reached at [email protected].
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