New Details on Pathways Programs

The Office of Personnel Management on Thursday issued proposed regulations to create more uniform and transparent pathways to federal service for students and recent college graduates.

In December, President Obama issued an executive order calling for streamlined "Pathways" programs to improve federal recruiting and provide training, mentoring and career development opportunities for students and recent graduates. OPM said Thursday that the proposed regulations limit the Pathways programs to serve as a supplement to competitive examining and veterans' preference.

"These regulations commit the federal government to two key goals," said OPM Director John Berry. "First, they require pathways to federal service to be clear and accessible for students and recent graduates. Second, they press us to create a federal culture where agency leadership is actively engaged in recruiting, training and managing top talent."

The program includes three tracks for students in high school, undergraduate or graduate programs as well as recent graduates. Participants would be hired under a newly created Schedule D of the excepted service, allowing for more flexibility in hiring while still preserving veterans' preference. The proposal also would require agencies to make meaningful assessments of participants before converting them to permanent positions in the competitive service.

The internship track of the program would replace existing internship programs and be targeted towards students in educational institutions from high school to the graduate level. The recent graduates track would target recent college graduates, requiring them to apply for a job within two years of degree completion.

The proposal also would beef up the Presidential Management Fellows program by expanding the eligibility window for applicants and making it more student friendly by aligning it with academic calendars.

What are your thoughts on the proposed Pathways programs? Will they help your agency recruit and retain young IT talent now and in the future?