Department of Veteran Affairs
VA Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI)
National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP)
Internship Program Fact Sheet
Introduction
The VA NDIP provides internship opportunities to diverse undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, full-time or part-time, in a degree seeking program at an accredited post-secondary institution. The program is administered by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI). Internship opportunities are offered during the spring, summer, and/or fall sessions such as, but not limited to, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and disability communities. The spring and fall sessions are 15 weeks long, running from January to May and September to December, respectively. The summer session is 10 weeks long, running from June to August.
Student Eligibility
- Undergraduate and graduate students who are currently enrolled, full-time or part-time, in a degree seeking program at an accredited post-secondary institution.
- A U.S. citizen (a lawful permanent resident or otherwise legally eligible to work in the United States per FAR Part 22.18).
- Student must be in good academic standing.
Program Overview
VA offices and medical facilities shall provide students an opportunity to intern in a variety of career fields including, but not limited to: medical related fields, human resources, communications, business/finance, contracting, Veterans claims examiner, information technology, cemetery administration, and other occupations in the VA. Student’s skills, knowledge, experience, and abilities will generally be matched with a suitable intern position. (Note: NDIP interns are not Federal employees, and do not serve in Federal positions)
The internship program requires each student to complete 40 hours per week on site at the VA Headquarters or a field unit facility. Generally, all events shall occur during standard business hours (i.e. 8am-5pm). However, these activities can, and on prior occasions have occurred immediately following standard business hours.
Program Objectives
The objective of the NDIP is to provide students the opportunity to augment their academic studies while learning about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) career opportunities.
- Provide interns with an overview of VA mission careers.
- Support the goals and objectives of the following Executive Orders (EO’s) and VA’s Human Resource Directorate HCIP initiatives with regard to educational enrichment and outreach activities:
E.O.13230, “President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.”
E.O.13256, “President’s Advisory Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities;”
E.O.13270, “Tribal Colleges and Universities;”
E.O. 13216, “Increasing Opportunity and Improving Quality of Life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders;”
E.O. 13078, “Increasing Employment of Adults with Disabilities.”
E.O 13518 “Veterans Employment Initiative”
E.O. 13562, “Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates”
VA Sponsor Responsibilities
The VA sponsor is the person who will interact with the intern and provide guidance on project tasks and assignments. In order to help maximize the internship experience, sponsors are responsible for:
- Providing office space and equipment to fulfill tasks and assignments
- Verifying time sheets
- Providing mentorship and coaching
- Providing guidance on tasks and assignments
- Providing badging information
Contractor Services
Contractor services include recruitment and referral of interns to VA and, when applicable, provision of housing, disability support, and travel. The contractor is responsible for identifying potential students from various institutions such as, but not limited to, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, and disability communities. Also, contractors must provide worker’s compensation insurance. (Please Note: Interns are not covered by the Governments workers compensation (WC) program. Injuries sustained by an intern while performing the duties consistent with his/her internship responsibilities on site at a Government facility are not covered by WC insurance. Therefore, contractor must insure that contactor personnel and interns have personal medical coverage or be covered under the contractors WC insurance.)
For more information about NDIP:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Diversity and Inclusion (06)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20420
Phone: (202) 461-4131
Fax: (202)461-2145
Email:
For more information about VA internships please visit the website below:
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