WASHINGTON, DC -- A report released yesterday by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) shows that the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) is an extremely effective tool for the recruitment of Hispanics into the federal workforce.

Currently, Hispanics represent 7.5 percent of the federal workforce -- 5.1 percent points below the current civilian labor employment level -- and are the only under-represented ethnic group in the federal government.

“We are pleased to share this report with Members of Congress, the White House and federal agencies,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio Flores.  “It reinforces what we have known for a long time: The nation’s largest Hispanic internship program is also a ‘best practice’ in building a public-service sector more reflective of our diverse citizenry. We hope federal agencies will seek to increase partnership opportunities with such a proven program.”

Flores formally presented the report to Congressman Joe Baca, Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, at a gala Thursday marking the 15th anniversary of HNIP, which has provided more than 6,500 students with meaningful paid internships.

“What makes these findings especially timely are recent reports estimating that nearly 50 percent of the current federal workforce will be eligible to retire within just the next five years,” continued Flores. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure equitable Hispanic representation in the federal government.”

 An independent analysis of  past program participants shows that the program clearly increases professional career opportunities for program participants and is truly “best practice” in the recruitment of Hispanics into the federal government.

The new report, a product of an independent analysis of a survey of program participants from 1992 through 2006, shows that participants’ desire and opportunity to work in the federal government increase tremendously after completing internship assignments.

Survey highlights include:

• As a result of their internship experience, over 90 percent of the participants considered a career with the federal government, a 44 percentage point increase compared to their intentions prior to completing their internship assignment.
• Nearly 38 percent of survey respondents now work in the federal government.
  
• 59 percent of students returning to school after the completion of their internship assignment were made offers to return in the future either as a permanent employee or as an intern.
  
• 80 percent of students that graduated with their degree were offered permanent positions or internships with the federal government.
  
• 60 percent of the participants reported that their HNIP assisted them in finding their current jobs.
  
• 72 percent of the participants reported that their current employer values the experience they had as an HNIP intern.
  
• 85 percent of the participants expect that their HNIP experience will be useful to them ten years from now.
  
• As a result of their internship, 96 percent of the participants reported having a positive outlook of their future career and employment.
  
• 87.5 percent of participants reported that their HNIP experience assisted them in improving their networking and peer relations and 89.9 percent of the participants reported that their HNIP experience assisted them in improving their interpersonal skills.
  
• Over 99 percent of the participants would recommend the program to students enrolled in college today.
  
• 91 percent of the participants consider that students with HNIP experience have an advantage over those without a similar experience.

 Click Here for a Copy of the HNIP Executive Summary

The program, which started in 1992 with 24 interns, currently places approximately 600 students annually in paid spring, summer and fall internships at federal agencies and corporations in Washington, D.C., and throughout the United States.

HACU represents more than 400 colleges and universities located in the U.S. and Puerto Rico which collectively enroll more than 4.6 million students, including two-thirds of the nation’s two million Hispanic students. 

< Back