Call to Serve Network: Become a Member

With roughly 7% of the full-time federal workforce under the age of 30, it is critical that government recruits and retains diverse talent. The federal hiring process can be daunting—in such a large, complex institution with over 2.1 million full-time civilian employees, it can be hard for job seekers and those who support and advise them to know where to start.  

The Federal Advisor Certificate Program enables Call to Serve members to become experts in federal hiring, and support and advise aspiring public servants.  

Any career advisor, internship coordinator, program director, staff or faculty who support students’ professional development. Obtaining a federal opportunity can be a daunting and complex process. This program is designed to break down that process and “train the trainer” so that participants are equipped to provide students with the advising, guidance and programming necessary to successfully pursue federal opportunities. If you are seeking to deepen your knowledge of the federal hiring process and federal opportunities, this program is for you.

As there are opportunities within the federal government for students and recent graduates from all levels – associate, undergraduate, graduate/professional, doctorate – this program is suitable for any advisor who supports aspiring public servants.

In order to enroll in the Federal Advisor Certificate Program, you must become a Call to Serve member at either the Tier 2 or Tier 3 levels. When you pay your membership fee, you will be enrolled in the Federal Advisor Certificate Program. Please see the enrollment periods below.

• Fall enrollment is now open!

Note: There are capacity limits, so you will want to pay your membership fee during the enrollment period for your preferred Federal Advisor Certificate Program session. 

• Fall 2024: September 30 – November 27, 2024

Want to be the first to know when enrollment opens? Be sure to join the Call to Serve network by opting into our monthly newsletter. Join here. 

At this time, the options to enroll in the Federal Advisor Certificate Program include the following dates. Please note: The program is planned to span seven weeks, with six weeks of course content, followed by a capstone. Final dates will be confirmed upon enrollment: 

• Fall 2024: September 30- November 27, 2024.
  • Enrollment is now open!

While every learner is different, participants can expect to spend 6 – 10 hours/week on Federal Advisor Certificate Program content. The content is asynchronous, with modules released by section, so participants can go at their own pace and engage whenever it is most convenient for their schedule throughout the week; there are no live sessions in the program. The first half of the course is the most content heavy, with lighter content loads and more practical application activities in the second half of the course.

You do not. You can pay for membership fees for up to 5 people from your institution, but you do not need to know who will be participating at the time of payment. Please note: Sessions have capacity limits, so if you have a strong preference for when you participate, you will want to enroll shortly after the enrollment period opens to secure a spot in your preferred session.  

Each cohort will be composed of 25-40 participants.  

The Federal Advisor Certificate Program is fully asynchronous and delivered through an intuitive learning management system. While the program is designed asynchronously so participants can go at their own pace and engage the content whenever their schedule allows, they are expected to keep pace with the weekly modules, as there will be new material released weekly. Participants will engage with other members of their cohort throughout the course to foster a shared experience, exchange ideas and gain a deeper understanding of effective federal career advising.  

The program will cover topics such as USAJOBS, paid opportunities in government, federal hiring rules and processes, and how to identify and access careers in public service. The course culminates with a capstone project that allows participants to apply their knowledge to create a customized plan for connecting their students and campus community with federal career opportunities.  

The certificate content will include guest lectures, podcasts, readings, blogs and aspects of applied learning. Each cohort will be managed by a skilled facilitator from the Call to Serve team. The facilitator will organize and deliver content, respond to questions, offer ideas and support during construction of capstone, and encourage participants to engage in the shared learning environment.  

Please note: Our content is relevant for participants who serve a wide variety of student populations in different educational environments—including large public universities, small private schools, community colleges and minority-serving institutions—and aligns with the Partnership’s organizational commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.    

Any career advisor, internship coordinator or program director, or staff or faculty who support students’ professional development. Obtaining a federal opportunity can be a daunting and complex process. This program is designed to break down that process and “train the trainer” so that participants are equipped to provide students with the advising, guidance and programming necessary to successfully pursue federal opportunities. If you are seeking to deepen your knowledge of the federal hiring process and federal opportunities, this program is for you.  

In short, yes. A membership can include people working across a college or university. A membership cannot include participants working at different institutions.  

Please reach out to us at calltoserve@ourpublicservice.org. We’d love to learn more about your campus needs and explore a custom program. We look forward to hearing from you!  

Yes. Our course content is 508 compliant. In addition, our video content has closed captioning and most include ASL interpretation. Requests for additional accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please know that we make every effort to create an inclusive learning environment that accounts for individuals with accommodation needs.

Participants may request a refund 4 weeks before the published first day of the session of enrollment. Participants may move enrollment to a future date or transfer their spot to a colleague of same institution up to 2 weeks before the published first day of the session of enrollment.

Should participants have concern or complaint, they should first notify their cohort instructor via messenger in the Learning Management System (LMS), per the program’s standard communication practices. Should you like to appeal a decision or does not feel satisfied with how the complaint or dispute was addressed by your instructor, you may escalate their complaint to the team lead by emailing calltoserve@ourpublicservice.org.