Montgomery County touts pilot program for high school students interested in government

NORRISTOWN — A pilot program offering high school students exposure to career options in government and public service was spotlighted during Thursday’s Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting.

Created by the Montgomery County’s Workforce Development Board, the Public Service Fellowship selected 12 high school students from the Norristown area to participate in a three-week program that will run until July 12.

The opportunity will introduce civic engagement and public service career pathways to the students through the different departments in the county.

“As a graduate of Norristown Area School District, I’m very excited to welcome these students to the county to learn about careers in public service,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder in a statement. “Government works best when it reflects the people it serves, so it’s important to offer this kind of access to our civic institutions from an early age.”

“We want to provide avenues for young people to experience the different careers within public administration when they are at these key decision-making points in their lives,” she continued. “It’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm for exploring the potential career pathways, because who knows where that enthusiasm will lead them in the future.”

Participants from the fellowship’s inaugural cohort expressed interest in pursuing careers in government throughout the application process, officials said.

The program is expected to cover the following areas: learning how federal, state, and local governments work; attend leadership workshops; touring the Montgomery County Courthouse to understand the legal system, social justice, and civil engagement; and meeting public service professionals to hear about different career journeys.

“The experiences and the projects these students are embarking on over these three weeks will give them exposure to potential career options that they might not have considered before,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairman Neil Makhija in a statement. “Their involvement in this pilot program could also provide valuable insight for the County as it shapes future programs like this, so it’s a win-win. This fellowship can open doors for our students, plus our Workforce Development Board can get iterative feedback on how to provide more effective career development opportunities to young students.”

The students will also complete and present a capstone project on potential strategies to deliver civics-focused career information to more students throughout Montgomery County. The students will present the results of their capstone projects on July 12, before being awarded program completion certificates at a special ceremony. Visi tmontgomerycountypa.gov for more information about MontcoWorks.

“I’ve seen first-hand how experiences like these can drive a young person’s career trajectory, so the MontcoWorks Public Service Fellowship could be life-changing for these young students,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Tom DiBello in a statement. “It’s a unique opportunity for students to learn about different jobs, and to discover what they might enjoy doing for a living. It’s also a great way to spend part of their summer — trying out different career options before they start to think about high school courses and college applications.”