City of Madison

FOR INTERNS

2018 Applications available February 9-25!
Apply Here

2018 internships are offered through various agencies:

• Civil Rights
• Clerk
• Community Development
• Engineering
• Finance
• Fire
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Library
• Planning
• Traffic Engineering

For dates, see our Annual Timeline (PDF)

Explore more Internships with the City of Madison.

AASPIRE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Department of Civil Rights Affirmative Action Division, in concert with City Managers, sponsors paid internships to attract members of Affirmative Action target groups who are engaged in college-level studies compatible with a Public Administration career track. The Affirmative Action Student Professional in Residence Internships (AASPIRE) program also allows for consideration to be given to individuals who have experienced a period of long-term unemployment or underemployment.

AASPIRE Internships take place in the summer and last for a temporary 8- to 10-week duration. Each intern will be assigned to work on a limited-term, management-level project. Assignments will foster the application of professional levels of skill, as well as the intern's understanding of their work unit and the City of Madison organizational structure. Where possible, the intern will observe administrative task force and policy development meetings (which might include staff committees or citizen oversight commissions). Interns will be guided and mentored by City management staff.

In order that the AASPIRE experience can offer insight as to the political realities of administrative oversight to government services, the interns will receive an audience with the Mayor as a group.

AASPIRE Internships will be limited in number and offered throughout various City agencies.  Each placement will be made very carefully based on a match between an intern's course work or career history and interests, and the operations of a City agency.

Interns will be hired as City employees in the hourly classification of Management Intern 1. AASPIRE Interns are eligible to apply for positions limited to City employees for up to 1 year after completing their internship or post graduation, whichever is later.

BENEFITS

Management Benefits:

• City management officials who host AASPIRe. Interns will serve as mentors to individuals from diverse backgrounds. In this way, they can gain supervisory experience and understanding gained from guiding an individual whose background may be unlike the mentor’s background.
• Managers may experience the fulfillment of facilitating a college student’s introduction to employment opportunities within the public sector.

Student Intern Benefits:

• AASPIRE Interns will have a chance to explore and establish career goals. Meaningful work experience activities will cultivate Interns’ specific areas of interests.
• Interns will acquire practical experience of interviewing for employment.
• Interns will gain exposure to managerial operations and to the organizational structures of government agencies.
• AASPIRE Interns are eligible to apply for positions limited to City employees for up to 1 year after completing their internship or post graduation, whichever is later.
• During the course of the program, the intern will have the opportunity to observe one Department/Division Head meeting.

City Benefits:

• The City of Madison can hope to gain future employment candidates who are highly qualified affirmative action target group members familiar with the structure and functions of City government.
• This initiative will foster greater collaboration between the City agencies that choose to participate in this project.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DIVISION RETREAT/RECEPTION

The Affirmative Action Division will host a Retreat/Reception for the interns. The purpose of this event is to allow the program participants to meet one another and to share experiences as well as confidences. An important aspect to this experience is the opportunity for the interns to come together with the Affirmative Action Director and program staff who can be supportive to affirmative action group member needs. Interns, their supervisors, and Affirmative Action Division staff are invited to participate at this event.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Kirsten L. Vanderscheuren
Affirmative Action Specialist

City of Madison Dept. of Civil Rights
City-County Building, Room 523
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Madison, WI 53703

(608) 267-8634