Pathways: Internship Program

The Internship Program provides students enrolled in a variety of academic fields with paid opportunities to work in agencies and explore federal careers while still in school.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) invites individuals who have been accepted for enrollment and students who are currently enrolled to apply for the SEC Pathways Internship Program. Student trainees work with senior professionals and receive on-the-job training that will create a career pathway for success, including professional development through career training, shadowing experiences, webinars, and more. The SEC offers internship opportunities year-round, as they become available. Veterans’ preference applies.

There are two student appointment types under the Internship Program.

1. A career intern is a student trainee in a developmental role expected to last more than one year. Upon successful completion of the Internship Program (i.e., completion of a qualifying degree or certificate program), a career intern may obtain a permanent position.
2. A time-limited intern is a student trainee in a role expected to last one year or less. Time-limited interns are hired on a temporary basis to help complete short-term projects, perform short-term labor-intensive tasks, or fill traditional summer jobs. In rare instances, upon successful completion of the Internship Program (i.e., completion of a qualifying degree or certificate program), a time-limited intern may obtain a permanent position.

The features of this program are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen;
• Maintain a cumulative grade point average of a 2.5 or higher;
• Remain in good academic standing with the educational institution;
• Maintain at least a half-time course load the duration of the program;
• Enter into a written agreement (i.e., Participant Agreement) that outlines roles and responsibilities;
• Assignment of a mentor; and
• Complete a minimum of 640 hours of work experience through the program, if applicable.

Applying to the Internship Program

Internship opportunities are posted year-round on USAJOBS as they become available. An applicant will need to apply directly to a job opportunity announcement for consideration.

Additional Resources

Pathways Programs via USAJOBS

Contact the Pathways Programs Team at the SEC

For more information about the Pathways Programs at the SEC, individuals may contact the SEC’s Pathways Programs Manager at PathwaysProgram@sec.gov.