Obama Administration Offering Interns High Five Figure Salaries

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Feds offering high-paid internships despite sequester

A cursory search Wednesday on the USA Jobs federal employment website showed 84 open internships and student programs posted in the last 10 days.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, even as it warns it will have to furlough meat and poultry inspectors later this year, has recently posted 12 openings. One opening for a student trainee at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Iowa offers up to $24.16 an hour.

One NASA internship advertised on the site pays up to a whopping $83,126 -- though that level of pay appears to apply only to those in a doctoral program.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is under the Department of Commerce, has posted an internship at the National Weather Service with a salary range of $31,315-$62,678.

The Department of Health and Human Services is shelling out more than $61,000 for a “student extern.”

Natalie Parris, a former teacher in Richmond, Va., who recently lost her job due to state government budget cuts, called the federal offerings unreasonable.

“I am out of work, out of money and am tired,” Parris told FoxNews.com. “Come on already. No college student needs an $85,000 (internship)."

On a broader scale, there were more than 2,700 federal jobs posted in the past 10 days across a variety of agencies. This includes 327 jobs at the Department of Agriculture, 149 in the Department of Health and Human Services and 140 at the Department of the Interior. NASA has 23 openings.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/13/feds-offering-high-paid-internships-despite-sequester

Terrible and just wrong!

[^_^ 5,021]

A distant cousin of my wife 'interned' for the WH back in 2009. I hear it was ball busting work. He burned out after a year and is now chillaxing in a much easier job in the city.

[decocker 7,198]

Natalie Parris, a former teacher in Richmond, Va., who recently lost her job due to state government budget cuts, called the federal offerings unreasonable.

jeez. certain skills earn more money than others. an engineering intern is going to make much more than a teacher.

[JohnR! 5,495]

jeez. certain skills earn more money than others. an engineering intern is going to make much more than a teacher.

Not to mention this Natalie person seems quite bitter and confused... She was fired by Bob McDonnell and takes it out on a college student?

Edited March 14, 2013 by Gegel

[decocker 7,198]

Not to mention this Natalie person seems quite bitter and confused... She was fired by Bob McDonnell and takes it out on a college student?

willingly talking to foxnews.com means you're bitter, by default.

[JohnR! 5,495]

willingly talking to foxnews.com means you're bitter, by default.

:rofl: :rofl:

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

This is an improvement. Clinton offered them high 6 figure out-of-court settlements.

[BaBamSam 239]

Paying them decent money for certain skill sets and doing hard work and undoubtedly long hours? How horrible /sarcasm

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Paying them decent money for certain skill sets and doing hard work and undoubtedly long hours? How horrible /sarcasm

They are interns. The government is going broke. I am surprised you can't make the connection.

[BaBamSam 239]

They are interns. The government is going broke. I am surprised you can't make the connection.

Going? I thought we passed broke a few billion dollars ago. I just see these wages as totally fair for the work they're going to have to do (might even be underpaid given some of the internships I've done/seen/heard about).

[Darnell 8,479]

i seem to remember something waaaaaaaaaaaaay back, ages past, where an intern 'working' for the gov would not get more than GS-4 pay.

Obviously somethings changed, but I wonder who got that and when ?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Paying them decent money for certain skill sets and doing hard work and undoubtedly long hours? How horrible /sarcasm

You are a Clinton supporter, aren't you?

[GandD 5,966]

This is an improvement. Clinton offered them high 6 figure out-of-court settlements.

Nice

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

The reality is, that the intern is going to probably get the 31k end of the deal. As someone pointed out, it would require a doctorate and experience to get at the top of the wage scale. So 31k for someone with a bachelor's degree is not horrendous. Also to get a gov't job requires months, unless you have an inside connection.