Purpose
The primary purpose of the Student Internship Program is to attract the best and brightest of today’s university students so they will become interested in the County of Riverside for full-time employment. Students are encouraged to apply for internship positions which are related to their areas of study in school, and are in the fields where they would work if employed as regular County employees.
Below is a summary of the the program guidelines. Please see the Student Internship Guidelines for complete program details.
Student Intern Positions
The County offers a mixture of paid and unpaid internships depending on the position and budgetary constraints of each sponsoring department. All appointments are part-time hourly, and work in an at-will status at the discretion of the appointing authority. Student Interns only receive benefits offered to TAP employees as outlined in the TAP Handbook.
Student Interns may not be substituted for candidates who have qualified for a County position through examination and are awaiting appointment from an employment list.
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Eligibility
The County offers a mixture of paid and unpaid internships depending on the position and budgetary constraints of each sponsoring department. All appointments are part-time hourly, and work in an at-will status at the discretion of the appointing authority. Student Interns only receive benefits offered to TAP employees as outlined in the TAP Handbook.
Student Interns may not be substituted for candidates who have qualified for a County position through examination and are awaiting appointment from an employment list.
Hours
The County’s primary interest is to ensure that the student’s education is a coequal priority. Work performed in the student’s internship should not negatively impact the student’s academic progress and academic qualifications by the assigned work hours. Student Interns may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during “regular academic sessions” (see definitions). Student Interns may work up to a maximum of 40 hours per week during school holidays if work is available and the Department approves the temporary work schedule.
Recent graduates may work up to a maximum of 40 hours per week. Please see the Student Internship Guidelines for complete program details.
Supervision and Program Monitoring
Departments are to provide adequate supervision at all times. In addition, program monitoring can be accomplished with regular evaluations of the student’s performance and progress towards the goals of the internship. Assessment is an ongoing process and an essential part of supervision. It is helpful for supervisors to reflect on "how is the intern doing?" while observing day-to-day work. This not only provides a sense of progress the intern is making, but provides specific incidents for discussion. Depending upon the nature of the incident and its importance to the intern's overall development, these discussions may take place during the regular meetings between the supervisor and the intern. They may also be used to document growth and/or areas for continued improvement in the final evaluation conference.
Supervisors are encouraged to download the “Supervisor/Mentor Guide” for detailed information on how to supervise and evaluate student interns.
Onboarding Procedures
The candidate will be contacted by ESP to complete the following steps:
1. Schedule a meeting to conduct a Live Scan background check (fingerprinting) and complete hiring paperwork. Live Scan results from the Department of Justice and FBI are typically received in 48 hours but occasional delays can take up to 30 days.
2. Upon clearance of the background check, the candidate will be given instructions on how to schedule a physical examination with the Occupational Health Office. The physical requirement can be waived for unpaid interns in a strictly clerical/administrative internship. Clearance for the physical exam can take anywhere from 1 day to 1-2 weeks depending on the student’s availability.
3. Upon clearance from the background check and physical exam (if required), ESP will contact the department and student to determine a start date.
Note: All offers of employment for a student internship are contingent upon the results of the background check, which will include, at a minimum, a criminal records check through the California Department of Justice and the FBI. In addition, where required, the offer is contingent upon a satisfactory drug and alcohol screening test and physical examination to determine physical ability to perform the duties of the position offered. The background check and physical exam must be completed prior to employment commencing. Applicants who fail the drug test component of the physical examination, where required, will be ineligible for employment with the County of Riverside for one year, in accordance with Board Policy.
This is a summary of the the program guidelines. Please see the Student Internship Guidelines for complete program details.