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FAQs Frequently Asked Questions for Interns
1. What is the Municipal Internship Program for Administrators? The Municipal Internship Program for Administrators is sponsored by Municipal Affairs in partnership with Alberta’s municipalities. It is designed to attract recent post-secondary graduates to the field of municipal management. Its objective is to assist in the training and development of competent, well-rounded senior municipal administrators. It is expected that upon successful completion of the program, interns will be better prepared to enter the municipal administrative field in Alberta’s municipalities. The program provides funding to municipalities in Alberta so that they can hire and train an intern for a one-year period. During the year, the intern will be exposed to many different aspects of municipal administration. They will be mentored and coached by either the chief administrative officer (CAO) or a senior member of the management team. Program scope is broad so interns have the opportunity to explore many of the key functions of their host municipality. The program will include sessions where all interns will meet as a group for the purpose of becoming more familiar with industry trends, learning opportunities, and provincial services and personnel. These sessions will also permit the interns to share their experiences and the lessons they have learned so far with the other interns in the program. 2. What expectations are there for each intern? The Internship will be a demanding experience that will require a high level of commitment from each participant. Interns will have to accept a flexible work schedule. Often senior municipal administrators are required to work long and odd hours. Interns will be expected to work these hours as required. Interns should expect some traveling during their Internship. There will be travel within the host municipality and there will be at least some travel outside of the municipality and to Edmonton for the ministry’s training sessions. Interns are expected to participate in all program events sponsored by Municipal Affairs. Interns will have a Workplan they are expected to complete and a Guidebook that provides information and recommended activities for the year. The intern and host municipality will work collaboratively to determine the most effective method of completing the prepared Workplan. The above expectations are some of the things that interns may experience during their Internship. However, each host municipality will outline the specific expectations for the intern during the interview process. 3. Who qualifies to be an intern? To be considered as a candidate for the Municipal Internship Program for Administrators, you need to have:
The host municipalities may set additional criteria for their intern selection. Candidates should determine the specific needs of the host municipality as part of the interview process. It is important to remember that these qualifications will act primarily as a guide. An applicant's entire intern application package will be considered. It is also important to remember that the intent of the program is to train an intern so he/she may pursue a career in municipal administration. Individuals not interested in pursuing a career in the public sector are encouraged not to apply. 4. What attributes does it take to be successful? Individuals on a career path towards senior municipal administration will discover that it requires people who demonstrate a varied and lengthy list of attributes. Candidates demonstrating these attributes, or a tendency towards these attributes, will improve their opportunity to be selected. These attributes include, but are not limited to:
5. What degree do I need to apply for this program? Municipal administration is a varied enough field that many educational backgrounds can produce capable administrators. There is no specific degree that is required for the program. The key is that you have an interest in pursuing a career in municipal government.Some of the degrees and programs that have traditionally provided successful senior municipal administrators include:
Interested applicants should not be discouraged from applying because they lack education in one of the above areas. All applicants will be assessed on a variety of areas, of which education is only one. 6. I am currently in my final year of university and will be graduating in the spring. Am I eligible to apply? Yes! Recent graduates include those who will be graduating in the spring. With your application package, be sure to include your transcripts for all courses complete to date. If you are selected for one of the intern positions, you may be asked to provide a final transcript of marks to your host municipality. 7. Which municipalities will be hosting interns? The list of the 12 host municipalities who are hosting for 2012/13 is on the Municipal Preferences List page. Municipalities hosting interns will meet the following criteria:
8. How many interns will be selected? This year Alberta Municipal Affairs will be providing grants to 12 municipalities for the purpose of hosting an intern. 9. How much will interns be paid during the Internship? The specifics of compensation for interns will be a product of negotiation between the intern and the host municipality at the time of hiring. However, each host municipality is provided with a $43,000 grant from Municipal Affairs to help cover the intern’s salary and expenses; $30,000 of the grant is to be used for salary, $2,000 towards benefits, $10,000 for expenses incurred by the intern, and $1,000 to cover supervisor's travel expenses. The host municipality is expected to provide additional salary and cover any additional expenses as the situation warrants. Host municipalities are expected to supplement the intern's wage above the $30,000 provided by the ministry. The final wage offer should reflect the cost of living in the municipality, as well as the relevant staff pay scales. In 2011/12, the average salary ranged from $40,000 to $55,000. 10. How long is the Internship for Administrators? The Internship runs for 12 months, from May 2012 until the end of April 2013. 11. Will interns get jobs in a municipality after the Internship? Although the program provides no guarantee of employment after successful completion of the internship, there is an ongoing demand for qualified municipal staff in Alberta. 12. What is the selection process for interns? Individuals interested in becoming an intern are asked to submit an intern application package to Municipal Affairs no later than 4:00 pm on January 27, 2012. Municipal Affairs will review the applications and create a shortlist of candidates who meet the program requirements. This list will be forwarded to those municipalities that have been selected to host interns. Host municipalities will be responsible for contacting candidates, setting interviews, selecting interns, and negotiating contract terms. The final selection of interns must be completed by March 30, 2012. Only those candidates selected by municipalities for interviews will be contacted. Click here for more information on the intern application process. 13. What documents should accompany applications? Candidates must submit the intern application package to Municipal Affairs by 4:00 pm on January 27, 2012. The package must include the following documents:
For further details on what is required to apply for the program, see the intern application package. 14. What if I'm interested in local government, but not in a management role? Can I still apply for the Internship Program? This program is a management development opportunity designed to provide prospective senior municipal administrators with the essential tools and knowledge to begin a successful career in municipal administration. As a result, the program covers a wide range of municipal issues, functions and services. Individuals interested in a non-management role in municipal government will likely find that this program does not provide them with the depth of knowledge required for their desired position. 15. I'm already employed by a municipality, am I still eligible? The intent of this program is to attract new people to the field of local government and provide an opportunity for recent graduates to enter municipal administration as a career choice. It is not the intent to have municipalities hire an individual who is already employed in local government. A municipality cannot hire an individual who is currently employed by the municipality or who has worked for the municipality in the past 12 months (excluding casual or summer students). 16. Will there be an opportunity to interact with other interns? Interaction between interns is not only possible, but highly encouraged. The program will provide opportunities for the interns to come together and share their experiences while learning new information. Interns are encouraged to share contact information with one another and to rely on each other as secondary resources. Internship staff will make an effort to facilitate discussion between interns where possible. 17. Who is coordinating this program? Municipal Affairs is coordinating the Internship Program. This coordinating role includes:
In 1980/81 Municipal Affairs initiated an Internship Program to provide career development opportunities for suitably educated candidates wishing to enter the field of municipal management. Interns were recruited from post-secondary institutions and were assigned through temporary contracts of one year. The program was generally well received and was successful in meeting its objective of providing real-life, practical career development opportunities. By of March 1993, there were 101 interns who had entered the program, 90 had successfully completed the program, and over 75 percent of the former interns were employed in Alberta’s local government sector. This program was discontinued in 1993/94. The program was revived in 2002/03 for a pilot year with five interns and municipalities participating. The program has expanded ever since and has seen over 100 Administrator interns participate in the past ten years of the program. Twelve positions are available for 2012/13. 19. Do I have to be a Canadian citizen to apply to the Program? No, you do not have to be a Canadian citizen to apply to the program, but you do have to be legally entitled to work in Canada. One of the main objectives of the program is to attract and retain individuals to local government in Alberta, therefore, some municipalities may not be interested in interviewing or hiring candidates who do not wish to continue working in Alberta after their internship. 20. What is the definition of a "recent graduate"? Those who have graduated within the past two years or will graduate by Spring 2012 are considered a "recent graduate" for the purposes of this internship program. 21. Will this program teach me the political side of local government? While you will have interactions with the mayor/reeve and other council members during your Internship, the program is designed to teach you the administrative side of local government. If your aspirations are to become a member of council, you may find this program will not provide you with the depth of information required for these political positions. 22. Can I apply to be an intern in both the Administrator and Land Use Planning Programs? If you are an eligible candidate for both programs, you may send in a separate, customized application package for each program. Be sure to read the application requirements carefully as there are some differences between the two programs. However, keep in mind that the hosts for each program are different and will be conducting interviews independently of each other.23. Is it reasonable to expect to become a chief administrative officer after my one-year internship? It is expected that upon successful completion of the program, interns will be better prepared to enter the municipal administrative field in Alberta's municipalities. However, it is not the expectation of the program to have interns progress immediately into a chief administrative officer (CAO) role. The objective of the Internship Program is to assist in the training and development of competent, well-rounded future senior municipal administrators. Although the internship program only provides one-year training, the program provides interns with the essential tools and knowledge to continue their management development after the internship is complete. It is hoped that at some point in their future, intern will choose to enter a senior administrative role and some may wish to become a CAO when they are ready. 24. How should I write my position profile? How long should it be? Your position profile can be written in whatever format you are most comfortable with, so you could use an essay format, letter format, bullets, etc. The profile should briefly but thoroughly, outline how you meet each of the areas outlined in the intern position profile. This is your opportunity to tell the host municipalities your career plan and why you think you should be selected as an intern. There is no specific length of the profile, but we generally advise students to aim for no more than two pages. 25. How should I send in my reference letters as part of my application package? Depending on the preference of the referee, the letters can either be sent directly to Municipal Affairs, by mail or by email, or be included in your application package. Originals are preferred. The letters can be either addressed to "Dear Recruiter" or "To the Selection Committee". Remember that your three letters of reference should be fairly current and can be from any source. Reference letters provide an additional way for potential employers to verify and assess your skills and personal qualities. |
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