Welcome to the City of Houston’s Internship Program
The Volunteer Initiatives Program is determined to train, guide, and empower the youth of the future through our Internship Program. Come experience what the City of Houston has to offer and the pride of having the City of Houston government as part of your professional training background.
The City of Houston’s Internship Program offers Fall and Spring semester internships, as well as Summer internships. The fall internship lasts from September- December, the spring internship lasts from January- May, and the summer internship lasts from June- August. Interns must be able to work 15-20 hours a week without pay for college credit during the Fall and Spring terms. And 30-40 hours a week without pay during the Summer term. Included in these hours is a series of Brown Bag Seminars.
The host departments listed below have an internship opportunity open right now. Please click on the host departments to find an overview of the department and what you would be doing as an intern.
The Volunteer Initiatives Program offers college students the opportunity to work alongside high-level city managers and department heads in a professional, yet educational environment.
Our mission is to develop future leaders who are civically aware of the need for public service in today’s youth and as the City of Houston it is our role to guide and teach these individuals for their future service in the public sphere.
The City of Houston’s Internship Program offers both graduate and undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about and contribute to the diverse functions of the nation’s 4th largest municipality. In addition to experiencing the daily challenges and rewards of public service, the interns also participate in a series of Brown Bag Seminars featuring City Officials presenting overviews of what it takes to run the local government, discussing the work of specific departments and providing insights into issues that confront the City of Houston today.
Interns are assigned to work in one department for the duration of the internship. Placements are made based on their interests, background, and overall match to the host department. Make sure to look at our list of host departments below to see an overview of what each department does. This list is ever changing so please come back frequently.
Interns work on a variety of projects and tasks in their host department and have the opportunity to work closely with managers within the department.
As part of the Internship Program, we have planned a series of Brown Bag Seminars to enhance the learning process of the college students spending their semester or summer interning at various City of Houston Departments and Council Offices. During the seminar, they will hear an expert on topics ranging from Crime On/Off Campus to City’s Role in Immigration Issues to Introduction to City Council.
The Fall and Spring semester interns will only attend two Brown Bags, while the Summer interns will attend five Brown Bags. This is because the Volunteer Initiatives Program has more time in the summer due to the fact the Mayor’s Youth Council only runs during the school year. For more information about the Mayor’s youth Council follow this link: www.houstontx.gov/houstonyouth.
Undergraduate interns must be currently enrolled in a college or university. Graduate interns must be currently enrolled, or accepted in, a graduate program.
Unless specified, the internship is open to both undergraduate and graduate applicants.
Applicants for Fall 2009 must complete all parts of the application and email or mail the application to the Volunteer Initiatives Office no later than September 3, 2009.
Volunteer Initiatives Program
City Hall Annex
900 Babgy- Public Level Suite 019
Houston, TX 77002
The Volunteer Initiatives Program will place the selected applicants in a department they believe best fits the applicants’ skills and personality.
Once the applicants are placed within certain departments, the selected applicants will be asked to participate in a formal interview with the department in which they were placed.
Applicants will be notified of their selection to the internship program by September 8, 2009.
If selected, the applicant will begin work on Friday, September 11, 2009 and their last day of work will be Friday, December 4, 2009.
What are the minimum requirements?
Undergraduate applicants must be currently enrolled in a college or university and graduate applicants must be currently enrolled, or accepted in, a graduate program. Applicants must be available to work a minimum of 15 hours a week during the school year and a minimum of 20 hours a week during the summer.
When is the application deadline?
Fall Internship Deadline: September 3, 2009
Spring Internship Deadline: To be Determined
Summer Internship Deadline: To be Determined
Do I get paid? Do I get credit?
Interns do not get paid, however they may receive a credit of 3 hours with their University if they do a fall or spring internship.
How many interns does the office take?
The number varies from year to year based on the office’s need for interns. Typically, we host approximately 10-20 interns in the Fall and Spring and upwards of 40-50 in the Summer.
What type of supervision will I have?
Each department in the City of Houston has an intern coordinator. The intern coordinator runs intern meetings, distributed assignments and provides feedback. Additionally, you may have a direct supervisor other than the intern coordinator.
What type of training will I receive?
All interns attend an office orientation, which explains our role in City government, office structure and procedures. Each department provides interns with training to complete their assignments.
What type of assignments do interns perform?
The vary from department to department. Please see the Internship Opportunities Available Now section below for more information about possible intern assignments for each department.
What types of activities will I be able to participate in and observe?
Appropriate, interns are invited to Board, committee and client meetings. Additionally, each season the office schedules lectures, events, and tours for the interns. Events vary depending on the season and have included: Brown Bag Seminars, a tour of City Hall and it’s historic relevance within the City, and various other activities.
Will I be offered a job at the end of my internship?
Interns are not usually offered a position in the office immediately after their internship.
What have past participants in the City of Houston’s Internship Program had to say about it?
Not only do our interns gain great experience while interning with the City, they have a great time too. Our past interns have had a lot of great things to say about our program.
“I spent a summer interning with the Volunteer Initiatives Program, which provides volunteers and interns like myself the opportunity and satisfaction that comes only from public service. I was able to gain practical hands on experience and training, while at the same time contribute in a meaningful way to the community. I helped plan events such as the Brown Bag Seminars to help make the volunteers and interns’ experience with the City of Houston more enjoyable. I would recommend the experience highly to anyone interested in public service.” (Patricia, Louisiana State University, Summer 2009)
