Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C., announced that the District of Columbia is launching a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Public Service Program in partnership with Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). These two district-based HBCUs offer a world-class education to students, and the partnership will allow the district government to create a pipeline for senior students to pursue a role in public service.
Through the HBCU Public Service Program, which will start up early next year, the city will work with highly talented and qualified graduating seniors to help launch their careers. The program will be open for one-year to graduating seniors who are earning a bachelor’s degree. Participating government agencies will convert existing and due-to-hire full-time positions into apprenticeship positions for a total of 25 apprentices.
If selected, the students will be hired as full-time employees through the one-year apprenticeship that will begin in June 2024. Participants in the program will also be able to take a professional development course at their universities that will be led by the District Department of Employment Services.
“We want the best and the brightest, the people who are passionate about our community, to work at DC Government. The HBCU Public Service Program will keep talent in DC and bring young leaders into DC Government,” said Mayor Bowser. “We know that people, including many of our university students, come to DC and stay in DC because they want to change the world. We want people to know that they can change the world, one person, one program, and one community at a time, in DC Government.”
