TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. signed into policy the Cherokee Nation College Internship Program on Thursday to provide internship opportunities and tribal workforce experience for college students.
The establishment of the Cherokee Nation College Internship Program is in effort to assist and encourage Cherokee college students preparing to enter the workforce and increase the staff of the Cherokee Nation.
“It’s incredibly important that we offer these types of programs for students who are just starting out in the workforce. This program will not only give college students a chance to increase in knowledge of their chosen field and become more self-sufficient, but it will also give them a good chance of employment right here with the Cherokee Nation,” Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “This program will be extremely beneficial for all individuals involved.”
The Cherokee Nation College Internship Program, operated under the tribe’s Human Resources department, will initially be funded through the Cherokee Nation’s American Rescue Plan Act funding.
The program will be offered to current college students at an accredited university, a recent high school graduate who has been accepted into a college or university, or a student pursuing certification or licensing through a trade school or a recent college graduate. The internship will last an average of 13 weeks with paid employment.
Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale to participate in the program. Those selected are required to pass pre-employment screening as well.
“What a blessing it is to be able to offer this incredible internship program for college students,” Deputy Chief Bryan Warner said. “This will be an opportunity for college kids to take a small step into the workforce and see what it’s like to work in the field that they are studying for. I can’t wait to see the progress of this program and the interns that it will impact.”
Cherokee Nation Human Resources will work with the tribe’s Career Services and Education Services to engage Youth Summer Leadership graduates and Education Scholarship recipients in this internship program. Preference will be given to students that are earning university degrees or skills certification that will qualify to fill Cherokee Nation’s hard-to-fill positions, which account for about 22% of current openings.
Cherokee Nation departments that will be accepting intern positions include:
- Health Services
- Registration
- Accounting/Finance
- IT
- Human Services
- Human Resources
- Commerce Services
- Administration
More departments may be added, and the tribe plans to accept 20-30 internships for the first cohort.
“This is such an exciting day for Cherokee Nation students,” Speaker of the Council Mike Shambaugh said. “This is a fantastic program where interns will get to experience the Cherokee Nation workforce and earn their own wages. This program will hopefully encourage these students to work for the Cherokee Nation full-time eventually.”
To apply for an internship, visit https://www.cherokeenationjobs.org/ or text “Cherokeejobs” to 97211.
“We’re thrilled to extend this opportunity to our Cherokee students, offering them a unique blend of hands-on learning, mentorship and a deep dive into our rich culture and history,” Human Resources Executive Director Samantha Hendricks said. “It’s exciting times as shape the future together.”
For more information on the program, contact Human Resources Organizational Development team at 918-453-5738.