At BC3, Pennsylvania Auditor General announces employment opportunities for associate degree grads
BUTLER TWP — Beginning this year, newly graduated associate degree holders can apply for a job with the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General.
Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor joined staff members and students at Butler County Community College on Tuesday, April 16, to announce his department has changed requirements from a bachelor to an associate degree.
DeFoor also announced the state auditing department has established an intern-to-hire program. After completing a 900-hour internship and receiving a satisfactory evaluation, interns can find full employment with the department.
He began his tour of community colleges to promote job opportunities in February, deputy communications director Gabrielle Alberigi said.
DeFoor said he hoped to hit all community colleges in the commonwealth to spread the message.
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, center, tours the Butler County Community College campus along with Butler County Controller Ben Holland and student tour guide Lauren Cavalero, on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor is shown the Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor speaks with Butler County Community College students in the Heaton Family Learning Commons on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor tours the Butler County Community College campus along with Megan Coval, interim president, left, Butler County Controller Ben Holland and student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, center, tours the Butler County Community College campus along with Butler County Controller Ben Holland and student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, left, is shown the Victor K. Phillips Nursing & Allied Health Building at Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor tours the Butler County Community College campus with student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, right, tours a 3D printing lab at Butler County Community College campus along with Butler County Controller Ben Holland on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor tours the Butler County Community College campus with student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor tours the Butler County Community College campus along with Megan Coval, interim president, left, Butler County Controller Ben Holland and student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, right, tours a 3D printing lab at Butler County Community College campus along with Butler County Controller Ben Holland on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, left, is shown the Victor K. Phillips Nursing & Allied Health Building at Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, center, and Butler County Controller Ben Holland are shown the Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor is shown the Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor speaks with Butler County Community College students in the Heaton Family Learning Commons on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, center, and Butler County Controller Ben Holland are shown the Butler County Community College campus by student tour guide Lauren Cavalero on Tuesday, April 16. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Within the department, all positions are remote, DeFoor said, and employees are eligible for tuition forgiveness after 10 years of making student loan payments.
Additionally, internships are paid, Alberigi said. To be considered for an internship, candidates must have graduated from an associate program within six months of applying, or be a rising junior at a four-year institution.
DeFoor, who graduated from Harrisburg Area Community College before receiving his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh and master’s at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, said community college graduates are up to the task.
“Within our office, we recruit prospective auditors, prospective people in our IT department,” DeFoor said. “It always required a bachelor’s. With me graduating from a community college, I saw — back when I was at community college — the talent that is here.”
DeFoor said he worked with his staff to create positions for students who are recent graduates of community colleges and are interested in becoming auditors.
“After talking to some students, they didn’t feel — because they were coming out of community college — that they had the experience or the education to work for the department,” he said. “And I said, ‘That’s not true. You absolutely do. And once we get you there, we’re going to train you to whatever you feel you need in order to be successful.’”
Alberigi said 30% to 40% of employees in the state department of the auditor general are nearing retirement age, which makes up a “big chunk of the workforce.”
Widening the scope of its recruits would help “replenish” the department’s ranks, she said.
“We felt like we were missing a whole sector of (potential employees), pretty much,” Alberigi said.
“We know that getting an education from a community college is so beneficial,” she said. “You learn so many skills, so we figured why not explore the option.”
Later on Tuesday, DeFoor and Butler County Controller Ben Holland joined a tour of the campus led by student ambassador Lauren Cavalero. Finally, they spoke to accounting and business administration students about the duties and roles of their respective departments, after which the floor opened up to questions.
Sherri Mack, dean of BC3’s business and information technology division, said the number of students in the college’s accounting and business administration is “strong.”
“Every corporation needs accountants,” Mack said.
