The MMS Pacific Region continually strives to increase diversity in our workforce by providing leadership and career opportunities to qualified ethnically diverse and disabled students through the federal Student Educational Employment Program.

This new, streamlined program is comprised of two components: the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP), and the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP).

• The STEP provides maximum flexibility to both students and managers because the nature of the work does not have to be related to the student's academic or career goals.

• The SCEP, however, provides work experience which is directly related to the student's academic program and career goals. Students in the SCEP may be non-competitively converted to term, career or career-conditional appointments following completion of their academic and work experience requirements.

The Student Educational Employment Program benefits both agencies and students. Agencies can discover first-hand the abilities of a potential employee. In the case of SCEP, agencies can bring well educated graduates into their workforce while at the same time give their managers the ability to evaluate the student's performance in real work situations. Students, on the other hand, can avail themselves of such flexibilities as year round employment and flexible work schedules and assignments. Students in the SCEP gain exposure to public service while enhancing their educational goals and shaping their career choices.

The four main objectives of the student employment programs are:

• to merge academic study with practical application for students majoring in relevant fields and related disciplines;

• to create a consort of talented students to explore and understand professional practices through exposure to research and development, technology, administration and the government environment;

• to provide professional experience for ethnically diverse students and students with disabilities that will enable them to make educated and informed career choices; and

• to create a pool of future employees who have had positive, meaningful work experience with the federal government, and who might consider federal service as a serious career choice.

For more information on the Region's student programs,
contact Pacific OCS Region Student Program Coordinator

It is policy in the Department of the Interior that no person in the U.S. shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in any of its federally assisted programs or activities. Additionally, discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation is strictly prohibited in DOI's federally assisted programs; statutory authority language contains specific prohibitions against sex discrimination.

For questions, email the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at general@opm.gov,
or call 202-606-2131

If interested in STEP opportunities within the MMS, please either mail, fax or email your resume or statement of qualifications to:

Department of Interior
Minerals Management Service
Western Administrative Service Center
P.O. Box 25165, MS 2720
Denver, CO  80225-0165   FAX:  303-275-7354

Email:  Deborah.Haines@mms.gov