OPA unveils modified internship program

To students who want to apply for internship at the Office of the Public Auditor, and OPA interns who want to go back to college, your wishes have come true.

The OPA yesterday announced the launching of an aggressive internship program that will now allow full-time and part-time internships to college students and OPA interns who want to go back to school.

Under the Proposed Audit Internship Program, students with a major, or planning to major in finance, economics, business, administration, business management, or criminal justice are qualified to apply in the program.

Previously, the OPA internship initiative was limited only to those majoring or planning to take up accounting.

Additionally, the restructured program would now allow full-time interns time off from work at OPA so they can attend classes at the Northern Marianas College, the University of Guam, or other off-island institutions.

“The intern program will be a two-pronged approach,” mused recently appointed Public Auditor Mike Sablan. “Those short of a college degree will qualify for OPA internships while they pursue their degrees. College graduates will qualify for direct hires as full-time auditors.”

The OPA also said the revised apprenticeship program will deliver intensive in-service formal training, with the help of NMC and other learning institutions. Interns will also receive invaluable on-the-job training and personal mentoring by an experienced OPA staff member.

Surprisingly, the new OPA internship program comes with no added burden to taxpayers. Mr. Sablan explains, “we’re not asking for additional funding for the intern program, the intern program will be implemented within current funding levels.”

Office of Personnel Manager Director Mathilde Rosario lauded the OPA announcement. “We see a number of people coming through our office, looking for jobs, who would qualify for this program if they choose to pursue it,” Ms. Rosario said.

Michael Johnson, CPA and a partner at private independent auditing firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, see the program as a great promotion for the accounting and auditing profession, noting that private businesses and government agencies will benefit greatly from a larger pool of available accounting professionals.

OPA will be working closely with NMC, the University of Guam, and USDA Graduate School to provide the necessary training and formal education for auditors.

Coincidentally, the USDA Graduate School has already committed to providing four additional weeks of audit training courses to OPA this year. The curriculum include such subjects as Basic of Performance Auditing, Report Writing and Interviewing Techniques for Auditors.

The OPA intern program is set to be implemented in April 2001, as the OPA is still busy putting the final touches to the program, Mr. Sablan said.