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U.S. Office of Personnel ManagementWelfare-to-Work |
WORKER-TRAINEE PROGRAM BACKGROUND
The Worker-Trainee Program is a special hiring authority established in 1968, originally known as the
Worker-Trainee Opportunity Program.
The Program, for which the Department of Labor had overall responsibility, was a response to hard-core unemployment in depressed communities throughout the country. Federal agencies were asked to
participate by providing employment and structured training opportunities, either as employers or as
hosts. (If federal agencies serve only as hosts, Department of Labor programs defrayed the cost of
salary, etc).
The Program was developed to give promising entry-level individuals an opportunity to learn not only a
marketable skill, but good work habits, e.g., punctuality, attention to duties, ability to follow directions,
dependability -- attributes which are important at higher grades. Candidates are primarily selected based
on their interest in and willingness to learn and do simple, routine work.
Worker-Trainees are hired as temporary employees. Once they satisfactorily complete three years of
service, they may be converted to career status. Satisfactory performance includes completing training
and meeting qualification requirements for the occupation in which they are serving.
Worker-Trainee Program vacancies are announced by federal agencies via state and local government
job service offices as well as the Office of Personnel Management employment information systems.
Veterans Preference does apply in making selections to these appointments.
In June 1969, one year after the program became fully operational, 7,000 placements had been made
across the nation during a time of tight budgets and personnel ceilings. In FY 1996, 120 worker
trainees were brought into the federal workforce.
Provisions of the Worker-Trainee Program
Updated 29 April 1999