[History_students] Career Opportunity--Junior or Senior Status

[Judy Ossello]

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) is a centralized federal
procurement and property management agency, created by Congress to
improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the
public.  It acquires, on behalf of federal agencies, office space,
equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and
services.  GSA, comprised of 13,000 associates, provides services and
solutions for the office operations of over 1 million federal workers
located in more than 8,000 government-owned and leased buildings in
2,000 U.S. communities.  Essentially, GSA serves as the landlord of the
federal government, and with a total inventory of over 330 million
square feet of workspace, it is the largest commercial-style real estate
organization in the United States.  With career opportunities in the
Public Buildings Service, Federal Supply Service, Federal Technology
Service, or Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA has positions that fit
almost anyone's interest.  


GSA's Mission:
"We help federal agencies better serve the public by offering, at best
value, superior workplaces, expert solutions, acquisition services, and
management policies."


Why work for GSA's Public Buildings Service?
GSA's Public Buildings Service (PBS) offers a unique training program
that allows college students to earn their degree while gaining valuable
work experience.  The PBS Trainee Program addresses the needs of the
Chicagoland area by bringing new hires into the organization and helping
them become valuable assets.  Made up of two years of rotations through
various PBS business lines, the program provides each new hire the
opportunity to see the myriad of work GSA does while working closely
with an assigned Coach and Mentor.
In addition, GSA is the number three government agency when it comes to
workplace satisfaction and was recently ranked the fourth, "Best Places
to Work in Federal Government".                   
Lastly, don't forget about the benefits.  Trainees earn a competitive
salary and are eligible for medical benefits, flexible schedules,
training opportunities, paid Federal holidays, life insurance, and GSA's
version of a 401K plan. 

	
Who qualifies for a position in the PBS Trainee Program?
In order to be qualified, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, with
junior or senior status, enrolled on at least a part-time basis, and
pursuing a degree in business management, marketing, finance,
accounting, architecture, engineering, or liberal arts and sciences.  If
hired, the applicant must be able to work a minimum of 20 hours per week
and fulfill 640 hours of work prior to graduation.  


Where can I get more information?
For more information, please contact the PBS Trainee Coordinator,
Nicole O'Brien at nicole.obrien at gsa.gov, or visit GSA on-line at
www.gsa.gov.