VA Technical Career Field internships can be the first step to securing an engaging and one-of-a-kind career with VA.
The VA Technical Career Field (TCF) internship program is a national workforce development program designed to replenish technical personnel in positions where we face a critical need.
TCF internships work more like apprenticeships. These are intensive two-year training programs that are required for certain specialized career paths – areas where VA-specific knowledge and experience are desirable for success.
what you gonna do
If you are chosen to work in a TCF internship, you will work full-time at a VA facility and follow a formal training plan for two years. During this time, you will be trained, mentored and supervised by one of our staff who serves as a preceptor or mentor to guide you while you work at VA.
Through this combination of coaching and on-the-job experience, you’ll complete assignments to broaden your skills and gain the hands-on experience you’ll need to move on to more complex tasks.
As you take on these greater responsibilities, you will gradually work under less and less supervision. However, your preceptor will always be available to answer your questions and support your efforts.
When you begin your internship, you will start in a GS-09 position. During your two-year program, you can gain the skills and training you need to qualify for a GS-11 position (based on good performance and the availability of funding and higher-level work).
We consider TCF internships as an investment. Once your appointment is complete, we hope to place you at the institution where you completed your internship or at another VA institution that needs your skills.
Areas of interest
Engineering fields, both clinical and non-clinical, are popular choices for TCF internships. Whether you focus on biomedical engineering, general engineering, or majoring in safety and protection, you can find a path to a long-term career with VA through these internships.
However, it is not only engineering courses that can offer TCF internships. In fact, you can work in a variety of the fields which will give you the opportunity to work with our nation’s top heroes, including (but not limited to):
- Contracting.
- Environnment management.
- Finance.
- Health information management.
- Human Resource Management.
- Computer science.
- Public affairs.
- Supply chain management.
- Volunteer management.
Start your search
VA offers a number of TCF internships each year and they are posted from March to August for various locations. You can start working as early as the last pay period in May and no later than the last pay period in September.
There is no set date for job postings across all sites, and open positions change each year (and may not be offered at your VA institution of choice). Therefore, it is important to look for the Jobs.
You can consult our website to find out how to apply for jobs online and how to search by keyword, occupation or location.
Work at VA
With a TCF internship, you can gain critical work experience in your career field and start a meaningful VA career at the same time.
REMARK: The positions listed in this article were open at the time of publication.
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