Mayoral Internship Program: An Overview

The Mayoral Internship Program provides a unique opportunity of experiential learning for some of this country's best and brightest undergraduate and graduate students. Those selected to participate will be assigned to a team—headed by a Senior Advisor or Deputy Mayor—and will work closely and, at times, in concert with all levels of government, in addition to City commissions and departments, on a breadth of issues related to the team's focus area. Placement assignments are made based on a combination of factors, including the needs of the Mayor's Office and the Mayoral Intern's skill set and expressed interest in a specific area. Mayoral interns will perform a variety of tasks, which may involve policy research and development, drafting memoranda and briefs, community engagement, outreach and education, and legal research and analysis.

The Candidates

Prospective mayoral interns will be recent high school graduates with admittance to two or four year colleges or vocational schools, undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates of institutions of higher learning. The ideal candidate will have strong written and oral communication skills, a record of academic achievement, a demonstrated commitment to public service, and an ability to work in a fast-paced environment. They will also have great interpersonal skills and an understanding of the importance of maintaining a high level of ethics and integrity in the work environment. All applicants must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 to be considered.

Opportunities

Internship opportunities are available in the following areas:

• Administration – Work on creating a plan of action and strategy for the Mayor's Office of Administration.


• Chief of Staff – Respond to urgent matters; and coordinate and support the work of the Mayor's senior staff.


• Communications – Contribute to the development and implementation of media strategies using appropriate awareness and sensitivity. Gain hands-on experience in media relations, website and press material development, and special events and press conference planning.


• Energy and Environment – Work on the Mayor’s green agenda and assist on providing analysis of policy matters, including those affecting the service delivery of water and power to City residents.


• Homeland Security and Public Safety – Work on City's Master Emergency Operations Plan and related annexes, research public safety policy initiatives and reforms, and assist with grant compliance issues.


• Housing and Economic Development – Work on the development of policy and the administration of programs, projects, and initiatives pertaining to housing and economic development in the City of Los Angeles. Teams include LA's Business Team, International Trade, Strategic Planning and Policy Development, and Minority Business Opportunity Center.


• Legal Counsel – Assist in providing legal research and advice to the Mayor and to members of his staff on a range of federal, state, and local matters through, among other tasks, conducting legal research and drafting memoranda.


• Legislative & Intergovernmental Relations –Work on legislative matters at the federal, state, and local levels by conducting research, drafting correspondence, preparing briefings, and organizing trips for the Mayor.


• Neighborhood and Community Services – Work toward broadening opportunities for civic engagement among City residents and other community partners.


• Protocol – Work with the City's liaison to 93 consulates represented in the City.


• Education, Youth and Families – Work with team responsible for developing education policy for the City and overseeing a variety of departments that span the educational spectrum. EYF works with the Department of Cultural Affairs, Recreation & Parks, City Libraries, the Commission for Children Youth & Families, LA's BEST, Department of Aging, El Pueblo to optimize the City's support of education and educational programs for all the City's children.


• Performance Management & Finance – Assist in improving delivery of City services by creating service delivery initiatives in partnership with City departments and measuring initiative results against desired outcomes; provide assistance in addressing the budgetary needs of the City.


• Gang Reduction and Youth Development – Assist in coordinating gang prevention, intervention, reintegration and youth development initiatives across the City. GRYD’s goal is to increase educational and employment opportunities for our City's youth and create safe communities where our young people can thrive.


• Office of the Census 2010 – The next Census is April 2010 and the City of Los Angeles is planning and working to ensure a full and accurate population count of city residents. The Census determines how many representatives will speak for our City in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento but also determines our City's share under most federal and state funding programs and dictates our proportion of certain tax revenues.

Application Process

Alliance Resource Consulting, LLC (Alliance) has worked and will continue to work with the Mayor’s Office in promoting the Mayoral Internship Program at diverse universities and colleges throughout the United States. All applications to serve as a mayoral intern must be submitted online through Alliance’s website (see instructions below).

Qualified applicants will be recent high school graduates with admittance to two or four year colleges or vocational schools, undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates of institutions of higher learning. The applicants must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0.

APPLICABLE DEADLINES

Below, please find the timeline for the Spring 2010 internship program.

Spring 2010 (January 24 to May 28)

• Application Deadline: Apply as soon as possible

EXCEPTIONS

In limited circumstances and at the request of an executive or senior staff member, an intern may be brought on after the application process has been closed to assist in handling an unforeseen increase in workload. The executive or senior staff member shall advise me of this need. The intern will be required to fill out an online application before his or her start date.

INTERN ORIENTATION

Gabriel Sandoval and Barbara Freeman will take the lead in organizing all aspects of an intern orientation meeting for the spring, summer, and fall programs. This meeting is mandatory for all interns unless a good excuse for not attending is provided, e.g., class conflict.

ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS

The mayoral internship online application can be found by visiting Alliance’s website, www.allianceresourceconsulting.com.

Once on Alliance’s homepage, the applicant will need to click on the "Current Searches" icon. He or she will then need to click on the "Internships" icon at the top of the page. The applicant will be taken to a page with the heading “Internship-City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office.” The applicant should click on the “register” icon at which time he or she will be prompted to create a login account.

Once the applicant has logged in, he or she will be requested to provide additional information including a cover letter, a resume, a writing sample, references, and areas of interest, e.g., Mayor’s Office of Housing and Economic Development and Office of the Counsel to the Mayor. It is absolutely imperative that all requested information be provided if the applicant is to be considered.

PROBLEMS APPLYING ONLINE?

If an applicant has any technical difficulties applying online, he or she should directly contact Syldy Tom of Alliance at (562) 901-0769 Ext. 334.

To Apply [Login]