Anyone looking for an internship at the FCC should be aware of all of the separate bureaus and offices that fall under the FCC umbrella. While the entire agency in charge of regulating the interstate and international communications that are transmitted by TV, satellite, and cable is referred to as the Federal Communications Commission, there are several different branches of this agency that play a part in regulation and rule making. Currently, there are seven different bureaus and another eight offices that make up the FCC.
One office that makes up the organizational chart of the FCC is the Office of Communications Business Opportunities or OCBO. This is the branch of the FCC agency that is in charge of regulatory advocacy for small businesses, women-owned, and minority-owned business in telecommunications. They not only protect entrepreneurs, they also ensure that there is competition. There are internships available for lucky applicants who make it through the OCBO application process.
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Internship Opportunities
Getting an internship with a Federal agency isn’t a breeze. There are a lot of factors that applicants must consider as they prepare to fill out their internship application. One of the most important factors is knowing when the application period opens and closes. All prospective interns have a very narrow window of time to fill out the paperwork and submit it.
Currently, the Office of Communications only offers internships during the Spring and Summer season. The opportunities are for twelve consecutive weeks but could end before the twelve weeks are up depending on need. After review of the required paperwork, the recruiter will select only one college student and one law intern for the upcoming season. Deadlines for when applications are accepted are posted on the OCBO website.
Selection Criteria
Hiring managers will look at several different items when considering an application. According to the office, the baseline criteria that is reviewed includes:
- Work experience relevant to communications
- Involvement with the Honor Society
- Journal Memberships
- Demonstrable interest in the field and helping small, women, and minority-owned companies
Submitting Your Application
All applications that are received by the OCBO must be complete. To be considered, applicants must be attending an accredited four-year college or law school majoring in a relevant field. Applications should be accompanied by:
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Writing sample
- School transcript
Applications are to be sent to the Office via the official email OCBOinfo@fcc.gov in either Adobe PDF or MS Word formats. Prospective interns will be asked to wait for a call requesting an interview. To verify receipt of the application, applicants may call 202-418-0990.
It is very hard to land an internship with the FCC. Applicants must have an adequate amount of experience and meet other criteria all while standing out from the crowd of other people interested in learning their role with the government. Interning can be invaluable because of all it can teach. It can also help grads get their foot in the door of the communications field if they excel at their internship at the FCC Office of Communications.