For the first time ever, White House interns will be getting paid for doing coffee runs and other tasks.
This week, the White House briefing stated that the first session of paid interns will start fall 2022.
“Too often, unpaid federal internships have been a barrier to hardworking and talented students and professionals, preventing them from contributing their talents and skills to the country and holding them back from federal career advancement opportunities,” the statement said.
After being put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, the internship program will once again commence with a 14-week, in-person program, CBS News reported.
Interns will be paid $750 per week and expected to work a minimum of 35 hours per week in-person, according to NPR. However, living in Washington, D.C., can be expensive. Rent alone will cost anywhere from $350 and up, per NPR.
The nonprofit Pay Our Interns was founded by two former unpaid Hill interns and seeks to get interns paid for their work and increase racial and ethnic representation in the internships.
Congress began paying interns in 2017, but Pay Our Interns released a report that found that racial and ethnic representation had not increased in the last five years.
Who are some notable former White House interns?
Per Wikipedia, some notable people to get their start with the White House Internship include:
- Julian Castro, who served as the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development as the youngest member of President Obama’s cabinet.
- Huma Mahmood Abedin, who was vice chair of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign for president.
- Of course, Monica Lewinsky, who met former President Bill Clinton and is now an avid activist in the #MeToo movement and television producer.