Walking Horse Report has learned that the USDA will offer an externship program for college students in an effort to help them link academic learning with professional employment. Animal Care has developed a robust externship program that allows motivated students to gain unpaid work experience in various areas of interest. Externships last from one to four weeks. Opportunities are based on the availability of Animal Care personnel throughout the United States, and include but are not limited to:

• Shadowing and ride-alongs with veterinary medical officers and other Animal Care personnel
• Policy development
• Stakeholder engagement

These opportunities fall in organizational areas as varied as:

• Enforcement
• Administrative support
• Resource management
• Compliance inspections
• Information technology
• Nonclinical veterinary care
• Emergency programs

 Any student enrolled full- or part-time in a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of 2.5 or better is eligible.
 
For more than 40 years, Congress has entrusted USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) with the stewardship of animals covered under the Animal Welfare and Horse Protection Acts. APHIS continues to uphold that trust, giving protection to millions of animals each year, nationwide.
 
Externship opportunities are available on a rolling basis, and  applications can be submitted at any time. However, the key deadlines are: 
 
July 1 for Fall
December 2 for Spring
April 1 for Summer

There are a lot of great college students who have grown up in the TWH business who could benefit from the experience offered by a one to four week USDA Externship.