Government Jobs Education and Training
Qualify for government job opportunities by getting educated in KSA
Local, federal and state governments are major employers, and careers in government are highly prized for their stability, growth potential and salaries. Determining what government jobs education and training you require for your career can be challenging, however, since different jobs with the government require very different training. An engineer hired by a city and a diplomat may both work for the government, but their training will be quite different.Understanding government jobs education and training means learning about KSA, which stands for “knowledge, skills and abilities.” Virtually all US government jobs require you to fill out a form of KSAs, that outline exactly the training and education you have that qualifies you for a specific government job. When developing what you can write, consider:
- Get the education and training you need to bolster your KSAs.
- Prepare for the exams required for many federal government jobs and local government jobs.
- Seek out internships that pave the way for a career in government.
Hone in on the training and education you need for government employment
Understanding the KSAs you will need for a specific government job is your first step to a good government career. The KSAs for positions vary widely and change often, so it is useful to look at current vacancies or at career guides to determine which skills you need to hone and which degrees (if any) you need for a specific career path.
Try: The Career Guide to Government describes in detail the qualifications and education needed for some of the more popular jobs. Bio Career Center describes how to best delineate your skills and education in an application.
Prepare for government job testing in order to qualify for many jobs
For about 20% of entry-level government jobs and jobs in law enforcement, postal service, administrative work and other positions, you will need to pass a written exam. Since competition for government positions tends to be high, simply passing a test may not be adequate to secure a job. It is a good idea to study and to get the best possible score so that you can remain competitive.
Try: PSE-NET offers a useful page of information about the tests required for jobs in law enforcement, postal work and other government agencies. FederalJobs.net has useful information about the testing procedure for various state government jobs and federal positions.
Seek internships that provide you with US government job experience
The government has a number of student internship programs that help qualified candidates get the experience and skills needed for government positions. Government job internships make securing a government position much simpler, so apply for any internships you may qualify for.
Try: StudentJobs.gov lists all the government agencies that have programs for students. Stanford University maintains a list of links to internships that lead to US government job opportunities.
- Consider taking extra language courses. At many local government jobs and federal jobs, a knowledge of Spanish and other languages is highly desirable and knowing additional languages can make you qualified for promotion and advancement. Knowledge of additional languages also makes you qualified for international employment with the government.
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