Pennsylvania’s state government is struggling with staffing issues, just like many businesses in this post-pandemic economy. To help his department overcome this challenge, Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor is launching an internship initiative for Pennsylvania college students that will lead directly to full-time employment with the state government.

DeFoor announced his new initiative, Intern to Hire, which is aimed at addressing staffing needs while also keeping talented students in Pennsylvania after graduation, during a visit to Temple’s campus on Oct.19.

The auditor general noted that as of this past May, 42% of his employees—many of them auditors—have 20 or more years of service, making many of them eligible for retirement.

 “We will soon be facing a hiring crisis, with people retiring faster than we can fill those positions,” he said.

Under DeFoor’s new initiative, Pennsylvania students accepted into the program will gain real-world experience by working as interns in the Department of the Auditor General. Upon completing certain requirements during their internship, such as completing 900 hours of work and graduating with a bachelor’s degree that includes 12 accounting or information technology (IT) credits, they will be hired to a full-time position upon graduation.

DeFoor said the Intern to Hire initiative creates a career pathway for Pennsylvania students who have an interest in auditing, accounting and pensions. It provides them with an avenue for obtaining a good-paying state government job with health benefits, a 401K, and paid time off as soon as they graduate. In addition, he added, students with federal student loans could be eligible for the public service loan forgiveness program.

In making the announcement at Temple, DeFoor said, “If you thought that a state government office recruiting from a state-related university sounds like a commonplace solution to staff shortage problems, you would be correct,” noting that Temple is an ideal place to find talent because of the quality of the Fox School of Business, as well as the university’s commitment to community engagement and service.

University Provost Gregory Mandel, who joined DeFoor at the event, agreed.

“Here at Temple, we talk a lot about career readiness and making sure that our students are set up for success upon graduation,” he said. “This is a key part of President Wingard’s strategic priorities … to ensure that our graduates are prepared for the future of work.”

Mandel added that the Intern to Hire program can serve as a blueprint and model that can help launch the careers of many Temple Made students.

Students interested in learning more about the program can visit paauditor.gov/careers.

- Preston M. Moretz