Intern Nicole goes to the Indiana Department of Child Services

The past two weeks I have spent time working with the Indiana Department of Child Services.   I have had the opportunity to work on numerous projects and tasks that I feel will add value to my resume. The Department of Child Services is currently creating a well-being program for their employees so many of my assignments have revolved around that project. 

One of my most favorite assignments I have had thus far was to create a Well-Being Program guide that will be handed out to all of the different DCS offices throughout the state.  I was able to research and learn about retention strategies and wellness initiatives such as having therapy dogs visit offices and creating employee gardens.  I have spent a great deal of time communicating with different therapy dog agencies around the state to see if they would be willing to help DCS reach their Well-Being program goals.

I have also been working with the DCS recruitment staff and assisting them with some of their projects.  One of which was to call all of the colleges in Indiana and gather information on the amount of students they have had graduate with certain degrees.  I feel as if the work I am doing for this department will help to make a difference in their employee retention and recruitment efforts.

One of the most challenging tasks I have been given while working with the DCS is to source applicants for one of their open Deputy Director positions.  Although sorting the applications is an easy task, deciding who has more merit than someone else is actually quite challenging.  I feel honored that my supervisors trust me to to assist with or take part in such important matters. 

My time with the Department of Child Services has been very rewarding and I feel as if I will be able to add many of the projects I have completed to my resume.  The staff here has been exceptionally friendly and I am glad that I have been able to make connections with people working in the field of human resources.  Next week I will rotate to the Department of Corrections.  I cannot wait to see what exciting experiences await me there!  I will be sure to keep  you all posted on my experiences to come.