CSUDH students seeking careers in public service will now have more opportunities for professional development and skill-building thanks to the Pathways to Public Service Program (PTPS), an initiative from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.
PTPS is designed to equip students of minority-serving institutions with the knowledge and skills needed to launch careers in public service through internships and entry-level positions in health and social services. The program also features virtual career fairs and professional development workshops, educates students on the federal hiring process, and provides students with the opportunity to be a campus ambassador for the program.
Since its inception, the program has hired more than 100 students for internships. Students who complete an internship and meet the necessary requirements are then made eligible for permanent employment within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ partnering agencies.
“Having PTPS at CSUDH is a tremendous opportunity for our students to start building their careers in public service,” said Brenda Mendez, CSUDH Director of Career Development. “These types of partnerships not only prepare students to enter the workforce, but also provide the public sector with a pipeline of talented, hardworking individuals.”
The program’s mission is to develop a pipeline of diverse, qualified, and highly motivated students to become the next generation of public servants providing effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.
To deliver this mission, the PTPS program focuses on the following goals:
- Inform students of the various career paths within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Inform students of the federal government’s Pathways Program
- Educate students on the federal hiring process
- Increase the applicant pool of students attending Minority Serving Institutions
For more information about the program, visit the PTPS website.
