PERSONNEL BULLETIN NO. 02-05 (338)

SUBJECT: Departmental Qualification Standard for Excepted Service Student Career Experience Program Positions
 

This bulletin establishes a Department of the Interior qualification standard for excepted service Student Career Experience Program positions filled under rules described in title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 213.3202(b).

Student trainee occupational series covered by this standard follow below:
 

GS-099 General	GS-1399 Physical Science
GS-199 Social Science	GS-1499 Library and Archive
GS-299 Personnel Management	GS-1599 Mathematics and Statistics
GS-399 Administrative and Office Support	GS-1699 Equipment and Facilities Management
GS-499 Biological Science	GS-1799 Education
GS-599 Financial Management	GS-1899 Investigation
GS-899 Engineering and Architecture	GS-1999 Quality Inspection
GS-999 Legal Occupations	GS-2099 Supply
GS-1099 Information and Arts	GS-2199 Transportation
GS-1199 Business and Industry

Special Provisions for Student Trainees With Previous Related Education or Experience

For both initial appointment to and concurrent with conversion from a student trainee program, the applicant's previous education and/or experience (both student trainee and non-student trainee experience) should be evaluated using the qualification standard for the target position to determine whether it is creditable. If any portion of the education or experience meets the requirements in the qualification standard for the target position, then both the initial appointment and conversion may be made at the highest-grade level for which the applicant is qualified and eligible.

EXPLANATION OF TERMS

An academic year of undergraduate education is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in an accredited college or university, or approximately 36 weeks for at least 20 classroom hours per week in an accredited business, technical, or secretarial school. See the "General Policies and Instructions" for the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions for the definition of a full year of graduate education.

Pre-professional study is study in fields that require a post-baccalaureate degree at the entry level, e.g., social worker.

For purposes of the standard, a period of student trainee work experience is the equivalent of 2 months (320 hours) of work experience.

CONVERSION

Students, who are U.S. citizens, may be noncompetitively converted from the Student Career Experience Program to a term, career or career-conditional appointment under Executive Order 12015 (as amended by Executive Order 13024) when all of the requirements for noncompetitive conversions established in 5 CFR 213.3202(b)(11) have been met.

A student may be noncompetitively converted in another federal agency provided all parties agree the appointment is in the best interest of the Government.

Students may be noncompetitively promoted using this standard immediately prior to conversion.

Noncompetitive conversions are excluded from time-in-grade restrictions by 5 CFR 300.603(b)(2).

When converting students, the following conditions must be met:

a. Students must meet the qualification standard for the position, including any minimum educational, licensing, or certification requirements; however, students who are converted at the same grade as their final student trainee grade need not meet any length of experience requirements for that grade level;

b. The position must be in the field, or in a closely related field, for which the students were trained; and

c. Students must meet all the program requirements in 5 CFR 213.3202(b).

// original signed //

Carolyn Cohen
Director, Office of Personnel Policy

QUALIFICATION STANDARD FOR THE STUDENT CAREER EXPERIENCE PROGRAM