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Summary The Pathways Internship Program allows students to join VA in career positions that emphasize long-term training and development. The incumbent may work in one of the out-based offices located throughout the Regional Offices area of responsibility. The mission is to provide comprehensive counseling, vocational and employment service to eligible individuals. Responsibilities This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program. The program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school. The Internship provides managers a ready source of student employees and potential permanent employees upon completion of the program requirements. It also provides the student with work experience directly related to the curriculum studies or career goals while offering eligibility for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment upon completion. Pathways Internship positions provide for development and training. Assignments become more responsible as incumbent increases knowledge and skills through work experience and academic training. As an intern, you will be assigned to a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) or group of counselors. You will be assigned tasks designed to familiarize you with different aspects of the occupation. The purpose, objectives, services, and outcomes are developed by the VRC during the evaluation. The program's primary focus will be on helping the veteran find work and set goals and objectives to help them become more independent in their daily lives. Provides services for employer consultation, employment development and placement, career counseling, and vocational planning and assessment. Initiates evaluations to determine the presence of a vocational handicap, whether it qualifies as an employment handicap, the degree of the handicap, the viability of reaching a vocational objective, eligibility for Chapter 31 rehabilitation benefits, and the requirement for independent living services. Under the discretion of the rehab counselor, explores treatment and other services for Chapter 31 Veterans. Observe interviews conducted by counselors with veterans to learn about their psycho-social histories, and helps veterans make well-informed decisions about their careers using a variety of approaches, including Tele- counseling, depending on the needs of the Veteran. Assists counselors with establishing partnerships with administrators at schools, Vet Centers, military bases, and federal, state, and local agencies to determine the individual needs of service members and veterans and to provide the essential assistance. For more information on Internship opportunities within the Department of Veterans Affairs, please visit https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/pathways-internship-program/ and https://www.usajobs.gov/help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/ Work Schedule: Full time or Part time, Monday through Friday Compressed/Flexible: At minimum 20 hours and maximum 80 hours each pay period depending on the student's school schedule. Not To Exceed 1 year: The agency may extend this position without regard to service limits and restrictions in 5 CFR 213.104. This is not a remote position. Telework: Yes, per Agency guidelines. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#:Student Trainee (Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor), 41363-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: No Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. This is a Bargaining Unit position. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/09/2024. A. Applicants must meet the Basic Pathways internship eligibility requirements, minimum qualifications requirements, and the selective placement factor to qualify for this GS-0199-7 Student Trainee (Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor) position. Basic Pathways Internship eligibility Are you currently a student that has been accepted for enrollment at least half-time in an accredited high school, college, professional, technical, vocational, or trade school and will be pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate? OR Are you currently a student in good academic standing that is enrolled at least half-time in an accredited high school, college, professional, technical, vocational, or trade school and will be pursuing a qualifying degree or certificate? You must remain enrolled and in good academic standing throughout the Pathways Internship Program and will be required to provide proof of current student status to be eligible for this program. For more information, review USAJOBS Student and Recent Graduate resources. (https://www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads) AND Minimum qualifications for a GS-0199-07 You must meet minimum qualifications for this GS-0199-07. You must submit transcripts to support your response if needed. Applicant can qualify if they have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the federal service utilizing rehabilitation counseling skills, techniques, and resources needed to work with individuals with disabilities. B. I have completed one (1) full academic year of graduate level education. C. I have completed a bachelor's degree and meet eligibility under the Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) Provision. S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. 1) Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. 2) Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9. 3) Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies - https://www.achshonor.org/. AND Selective Placement Factor. To qualify for potential conversion into a GS-0101-09 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor VRC applicants must have completed or be enrolled in following specific degree programs: rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university. (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts and/or verification of class standing for further verification.) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service Interpersonal Skills Therapy and Counseling Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Program Completion and Conversion Interns may be converted into a GS-0101 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor permanent position (or, in some limited circumstances, to a term position lasting 1-4 years) within 120 days of successful completion of the program. To be eligible for conversion, Interns must: Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program Complete their degree or certificate requirements Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant's Agreement, and Perform their job successfully. If converted to a permanent or term appointment, the target position and Full performance level may change based on the need of the organization at the that time. Interns must meet the qualification requirements for the position to which converted. For conversion into a GS-0101 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor - Applicants must be enrolled in a master's degree (or higher) program in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university. To verify your enrollment, you must provide proof of current student status. Note: you must remain enrolled in the degree or certificate program to be eligible for this Internship. (NOTE: You must attach a copy of your transcripts and/or verification of class standing for further verification.) For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications. Education This position requires specific coursework and/or a degree to meet the basic education requirement. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent. If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document. If you are unable to apply online please contact vbacohcsosoghostsoutheast@va.gov.