New 蹤獲扞⑹/Northern Development Internship Program aims to keep Local Government Administrators in the North
An innovative new internship program involving the University of Northern British Columbia (蹤獲扞⑹) will help provide training and experience to recent 蹤獲扞⑹ graduates interested in careers as local government administrators in northern communities. , in partnership with 蹤獲扞⑹ and the Local Government Management Association, has launched the regions first-ever with the belief that government officials who are educated in the North will remain in the North.
MEDIA click image to download high resolution version. 蹤獲扞⑹ grads Evan van Dyk and Bryan Kelly were part of the existing . Van Dyk is the Economic Development Officer in the City of Terrace, and Kelly worked as Community Development Officer in Tumbler Ridge.
It really is the local government equivalent to the Northern Medical Program, in that its a program hosted in the north to meet a specific local need, says Internship Program developer and 蹤獲扞⑹ Political Science Professor Gary Wilson, who helped develop the Program along with 蹤獲扞⑹ Geography Professor Greg Halseth, Director of 蹤獲扞⑹s Community Development Institute. Its a great match for Northern Development, whose mandate is to develop northern communities, and for 蹤獲扞⑹, who is here to educate students so that they can one day take on these important roles.
The program is aimed at recent 蹤獲扞⑹ graduates from a variety of social science and business programs, specializing in areas such as public administration and community development. However, it is open to anyone with an interest or background in local government. Northern Development will provide the funding for the one-year paid internship, with participating municipalities providing additional training and support.
Interns will spend the first month of the internship at Northern Development in Prince George, learning about communities and economic development. Potential local government careers for interns can include management and administration, corporate services, development services, environmental services, finance, human resources, public works, and economic development.
The need for bright, skilled young workers to support the coming growth across the north is now more apparent than ever before, says Janine North, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Development. Our hope is that, through a partnership with 蹤獲扞⑹, well find those graduates who are passionate about the north and want to work for communities across the region to build a stronger north.
This program builds on Northern Development's existing economic development internship program. Since 2009, twelve 蹤獲扞⑹ graduates have interned at Northern Development and are now working as government administrators in communities such as Prince Rupert, Logan Lake, Terrace, New Hazelton, Prince George, Williams Lake, Smithers, Dawson Creek and Tumbler Ridge. An advisory committee comprised of representatives from 蹤獲扞⑹, the Local Government Management Association and Northern Development will govern the internship program.
The application deadline for the first Internships is February 22. Visit for further Program information.