Government operations and workforce · Federal workforce and hiring

Executive Order 13562: Recruiting and Hiring Students and Recent Graduates

President: Barack Obama

Established the Internship and Recent Graduates Programs and modernized the Presidential Management Fellows Program.

Status: In effect as amended.

Is Executive Order 13562 still in effect? Yes. Active Pathways framework implemented in 5 CFR part 362 and amended by later orders and regulations.

What does Executive Order 13562 do?

EO 13562 created the Pathways Programs so students and recent graduates could enter federal service through structured excepted-service appointments, training and possible conversion. OPM implemented the order in regulations. The framework remains in use and has been amended, including by Executive Orders 14217 and 14410 and updated OPM rules.

Administration position: Participation offers a route into federal service, not a guaranteed permanent job; eligibility, veterans’ preference and conversion rules still apply.
SignedDecember 27, 2010
ProgramsInternship Recent Graduates and PMF
Regulation5 CFR part 362

Before and after

Before the order

Student hiring used multiple programs with fragmented rules and less consistent development requirements.

After the order

Schedule D appointments provided a common government-wide framework for internships, recent graduates and fellows.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
OPMIssue rules guidance and oversightContinuing
AgenciesAdopt Pathways policies and run programsContinuing
ParticipantsMeet service training and conversion requirementsContinuing

What happened next

EO 13562 established Pathways.

OPM issued the original final rule.