Guest Post by RADM Cynthia Coogan, Assistant Commandant for Intelligence and Criminal Investigations (CG-2):
As part of CG-2's ongoing diversity initiative, I sent a recruitment team composed of personnel from both CG-12 and CG-2 to visit New Jersey City University (NJCU) for a Job Fair on March 18, 2010.
CG-2 partnered with NJCU, a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), in October 2009 in the hopes of attracting more diverse students to the Coast Guard. NJCU is jointly designated by the National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence for its cyber security and information assurance program of study. We are excited about partnering with a school whose academic program of study reflects and addresses the security challenges we face as a Service and Nation. We are actively recruiting for the next generation of civilian Guardians using the authorities provided under the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP). FCIP is designed to recruit and attract exceptional individuals into a variety of occupations and is intended for positions at grade levels GS-5, 7, and
9.
By the end of the job fair, the Coast Guard recruiting team met and spoke with approximately 100 students, including undergraduate, graduate, and NJCU alumni. The team collected nearly 40 resumes from students interested in the newly designated CG-2 FCIP positions. Additional resumes from NJCU students are expected before the application deadline in April 2010.
The attraction and interest of students to the Coast Guard table prompted the NJCU Student Services to inquire about Coast Guard willingness to return to NJCU during April 2010 to conduct or participate in a workshop to assist students in the development of federal resumes and to "demystify" the federal job process. Additionally, the NJCU Student Services requested that the Coast Guard participate in the school’s online service to post available Coast Guard positions.
The success at the NJCU Job Fair can be directly attributed to the Coast Guard principle of unity of effort between the staffs of CG-12 and CG-2.
