STUDENT INTERNSHIP DATA and GUIDELINES ACCMA June

Question 3 - Is your organization rural or urban? # Answer % Count
1 Rural 20.83 5
2 Urban 70.83 17
3 Further Comments 8.33 2
Total 100% 24 Further Comments:
Suburban
Mixture of rural and urban<br>

Question 4 - Would you be able to offer pay for an intern? # Answer % Count
1 Yes 43.48 10
2 No 30.43 7
3 Further Comments 26.09 6
Total 100% 23 Further Comments:
We pay graduate students but not undergrads.
If budgeted.
Only with the councils approval.
Only a slight salary.
Need external support, i.e. Grants.
Would require council approval and any college student intern would need a stipend.<br>

Question 5 - How long did the intern work or how long would you be able to have an intern? # Answer % Count
1 3 to 6 months 62.50 15
2 1 year 4.17 1
3 More than one year 8.33 2
4 Length of student's college program 4.17 1
5 Further Comments 20.83 5
Total 100% 24 Further Comments:
Flexible but likely 6-12 months.
We would hire for longer terms if intern available.
Hours are determined by the University to gain credit.
Not sure.<br>

Question 6 - What academic level student have you hired or are interested in hiring? # Answer % Count
1 Undergraduate 37.04 10
2 MPA 44.44 12
3 Other Graduate Degree 18.52 5
Total 100% 27 Other Graduate Degree:
High School Diploma
We have had both undergraduate and MPA students as interns.
Planning, Engineering, Business, Marketing - would be interested to know what else might be available.
Any related degree.<br>

Question 7 - What obstacles need to be overcome for you to hire an intern? # Answer % Count
1 Revenue for pay 26.09 12
2 Lodging/Travel 17.39 8
3 Understanding role/job responsibilities for the intern 19.57 9
4 Available space in office for intern 17.39 8
5 Don't know how to locate and hire an intern 6.52 3
6 Any other obstacles/issues 13.04 6
Total 100% 46 Any other obstacles/issues:
Personnel Board
Specifically housing during peak season.
Planning appropriate work.
Consent Decree.
City not large enough to allow the intern the opportunity to shadow.
Summers are harder to find housing.<br>

The job responsibilities would involve policy research and drafting proposed policies.
We currently sponsor university fellowships for students from AU MPA.
Various
Follow up call, analyze accounts for possible audit
Administration/Clerical
Administrative
Communications coordinator and researcher
Assisting the City Engineer
Problem solving, public relations, social media outreach, staff support, media assistance
General office work, meeting public, answering phone, taking job applications, assisting surveyor, light accounting
Special Projects, shadowing
Clerical and research
Administrative skill development, decision making with leadership team, technology
related projects Question 8 - Provide an explanation of job responsibilities that would be available for an intern in your organization<br>

Question 9 – Has your organization ever hired an intern into a full-time position when the internship was completed? # Answer % Count
1 Yes 28.57 6
2 No 47.62 10
3 Further Comments 23.81 5
Total 100% 21 Further Comments:
We've not hired an intern before.
Not certain.
Our current HR Director started as an Intern.
No, but this could be a consideration under the right circumstances.<br>

Question 10 - Was the intern or would an intern be able to work for your agency in a full time or part time status? # Answer % Count
1 Full Time 21.62 8
2 Part Time 40.54 15
3 Temporary 29.73 11
4 Further Comments 8.11 3
Total 100% 37 Further Comments:
Personnel Board Issues
Could transition to full-time depending on availability of position/budget.
Several key staff and department heads began in our city as a college intern. Performance and skills excelled in each case.<br>

We would need resume and college transcript.
Normal hiring procedures are used.
Need to know the process.
Cost to City
Skills, transportation and work availability
Resume or Professor recommendation
Resume , Letter of Recommendations
Job Application
Same information as hiring any employee. We treat them as normal interviews. It aides them in their education as well.
Resume
We have an application process.
Need to know availability, education, skills, etc.
Contact Carin Mayo at UAB Question 11 – What information do you need in order to hire or consider hiring an intern?<br>

Question 12 – If offering pay, how much have you or would you pay per month? # Answer % Count
1 $0 to $250 17.65 3
2 $251 to $500 23.53 4
3 $501 to $1000 52.94 9
4 Over $1000 5.88 1
Total 100% 17<br>

SO? WHAT IF I WANT TO HOST AN INTERN?<br>

The following should be considered in setting up an internship opportunity in your local government.

Assign the intern specific projects.
Allow the intern to “shadow” the administrator/manager.
Rotate the intern in the various departments of the local government.
Allow the intern to attend council/commission meetings to observe the relationship between the governing body and the administrator/manager.
Have the intern attend other board/committee meetings of the local government.
Allow time for feedback between the intern and the administrator/manager. Internship Duties<br>

Time Frame
Internships usually last 8-10 weeks for summer and 14-15 weeks for fall and spring.

Compensation
Some interns are compensated, others are not. That is up to each local government. Most of the students are looking for experience and a mentor to assist them in launching their local government management career. All interns usually receive course credit towards their MPA degree by completing an internship. Time Frame and Compensation<br>

Assignments:

Draft articles for newsletter.
Assist City’s Safety Coordinator with implementation of safety programs and procedures.
Draft and implement a New Employee Orientation policy and program for the City.
Assist City Arborist and Tree Commission in updating Tree Selection brochure.
Assist Parks & Recreation Superintendent with ADA compliance issues at parks and playing fields.
Assist City Planner with Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) and Villages Design Review Committee (VDRC) applications, field surveys and agenda packets.
Complete Executive Summary for Annual Report.
Shadow City Manager, conduct research and other duties as assigned. Mountain Brook Internships<br>

Meetings:

Dept. Head Staff meetings
City Council
Planning Commission
BZA
Villages Design Review Committee
Library Board
Park Board
Tree Commission
Chamber of Commerce
School Board Mountain Brook Internships<br>

Tours:

Chamber of Commerce
Finance Director
Fire Department
Police Department
Public Works Department
Library
City Planner
Building Inspections
GIS Manager
City Arborist
Revenue Officer
Parks/Recreation Department
Safety Coordinator Mountain Brook Internships<br>

Reading Assignments:

This City: This Man – L. P. Cookingham
City Code
Budget
Land Use Plan
ALM Directed Readings Manual
“Managing Local Government Services” – ICMA
“The Effective Local Government Manager” – ICMA
Spending a Lifetime: The Careers of City Managers – by Doug Watson
Employee Handbook
Organization Chart
A History of Mountain Brook, Alabama
City’s Major Management Policies Mountain Brook Internships<br>

Other:

May attend civic organizations (ie. Kiwanis Club) and Regional Planning Commission Program Budget meetings with the City Manager.
May attend conferences of the Alabama City-County Management Association (ACCMA). Mountain Brook Internships<br>

ICMA Internship Guide
Preparing the Next Generation
At
ICMA.ORG Resources<br>