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Internship Program

The Las Cruces Utilities (LCU) Internship Program is a competitive program that awards internships to students pursuing an associate degree in one of the following technology programs:

  1. Water Technology.
  2. Computer Information Technology.
  3. Drafting & Design Technology.
  4. Electronics Technology.
  5. Environmental & Energy Technologies.
  6. Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; and
  7. Welding Technology.

Internship programs lead to a career in one of the above fields of operation with Las Cruces Utilities.

The LCU Internship Program offers:

  • Payment of tuition and eligible fees.
  • An annual payment for other reasonable educational costs.
  • Biweekly stipends, for up to two school years, to assist with living expenses while pursuing a Technology Program Degree.
    • 20 hours of work while classes are in session, up to 40 hours of work during breaks — a current starting rate of pay of $14.25 an hour, housing and meal plan).
  • Full-time employment after graduation in one of the fields of technology mentioned above.

To be eligible for the LCU Internship Program, all applicants must:

  1. Provide Proof of Legal Right to Work in the United States and a Valid Government Issued ID.
  2.  Be a Full-Time Student. A full-time student is defined as a student enrolled for 12 – 18 hours during fall and spring semesters and 6 hours during the summer. Students are expected to maintain good academic standing. Students are required to complete sufficient number of credit hours in any academic term to complete the course of study within the number of academic terms normally required at the school. Any courses that are not required to complete the qualifying degree program will not count towards the hours required for full-time status and will not be supported by the LCU Internship Program.
  3. Not Have an Existing Service Obligation. Applicants who are already obligated to a federal, state, or other entity for professional practice or service after academic training are not eligible for LCU Internship Program, unless the entity to which the obligation is owed provides a written statement satisfactory to the Utilities Director that (1) there is no potential conflict in fulfilling the LCU Internship Program obligation and the entity’s obligation, and (2) the LCU Internship Program obligation will be served first. Interns who subsequently incur other service obligations and are not immediately available after completion of their training to fulfill their LCU Internship Program service obligation will be subject to the breach-of-contract provisions.
  4. Submit a Complete Application. Each applicant must complete and submit an application, a resume, at least two letters of recommendation, and school transcripts, high school diploma or GED, and/or DD-214 (as applicable). Applicant finalists will be selected for an interview. If selected after the interview, individuals will be required to review and submit a signed contract indicating they agree to provide:
    1. a maximum of 20 hours per week during semesters;
    2. a maximum of 40 hours per week during academic breaks, including summer (can be adjusted at the discretion of the supervisor); and
    3. a minimum of two (2) to five (5) years of full-time service after graduation.

In addition, the selected individual will be required to submit a signed “Authorization for Release of Academic Education Records” form. Please refer to the “How to Apply” section below for further details regarding application requirements.

How does the LCU Internship Program determine who will receive Internship support?

Among eligible applicants, the LCU Internship Program determines Internship awardees using various selection factors and funding priorities.

Selection Factors

  • History of Honoring Prior Legal Obligations. LCU Internship Program applicants who have a history of not honoring prior legal obligations, as evidenced by one or more of the following factors, will not be selected.
    • Default on any payment obligations (e.g., loans, income tax liabilities, guaranteed/insured loans, such as student or home mortgage loans, etc.) or any other payment obligations even if the applicant is currently considered to be in good standing by that creditor;
    • Default on a prior service obligation to the federal, state or local government, or other entity, even if the applicant subsequently satisfied that obligation through service, monetary payment or other means; or
    • Charge-off/Write-off of any debt as uncollectible or had any service or payment obligation waived.
    • A credit check will be part of the application review process.
  • Academic Performance. Demonstrates the ability to maintain good academic standing while in school. Interns who do not maintain a 2.5 GPA will be subject to the breach-of-contract provisions.
  • Does Not Have Judgment Liens Arising From a Debt.
  • Must Pass a Background and Drug Test. The drug test is based on DOT guidelines.
  • Not Be Currently Excluded, Debarred, Suspended, or Disqualified By a Governmental Agency. Before entering into an Internship contract, an applicant must report if he or she is currently excluded, debarred, suspended or disqualified by a governmental agency. (Please see the “Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Disqualification and Related Matters” located in the online application). The applicant should sign the Certification that is applicable to his/her situation. As a condition of participating in the LCU Internship Program, an Intern must agree to provide immediate written notice to the LCU Internship Program if the Intern learns that he/she failed to make a required disclosure or that a disclosure is now required due to changed circumstance.

What are the requirements for LCU Internship Program Interns while in school?

  1. Maintain Enrollment. All Interns must maintain full-time enrollment in the Technology Program for which they were awarded an Internship until the program is completed.
    • Please be advised that any courses that are not required or are unrelated to the Technology Program will not count toward the required credit hours in determining full-time enrollment status for the LCU Internship Program.
  2. Maintain Good Academic Standing. All Interns must remain as a full-time student, maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, and remain in good academic standing, while enrolled in the Internship supported Technology Program. Interns who do not maintain a 2.5 GPA will be subject to the breach-of-contract provisions.
  3. Notify the LCU Internship Program of Changes in Personal or Financial Information. Interns are required to maintain a current mailing address, e-mail address, name, and financial institution (bank) information to ensure an uninterrupted flow of Internship payments. In the case of a name change, please upload legal documentation for the change, such as a copy of a marriage certificate.
  4. Forgo Any Additional Employment Outside of LCU. To ensure academic and professional success, Interns are prohibited from working outside of LCU. Interns are expected to focus on school and LCU work, which is why a stipend and/or housing expenses are included with the program award. Exceptions may be considered by the Utilities Director via a formal request outlining the nature and demand of proposed outside employment. Utilities Director approval of such must be obtained in writing.
  5. Notify the LCU Internship Program of Any Changes in Enrollment Status. Interns are required to notify the LCU Internship Program immediately as soon as one of the following events is anticipated or has occurred:
    • A repeat of any course work;
    • A change in graduation date;
    • A leave of absence approved by the school;
    • Withdrawal or dismissal from the school;
    • A change from full-time student status to a less than full-time student status;
    • Voluntary withdrawal from any courses during a school year.
    • The LCU Internship Program needs to know in advance when a change in enrollment status is anticipated so that timely action can be taken to determine if the Intern is still eligible to receive Internship support and to avoid overpayments (see “Changes in Internship Payment” section). The Intern must also submit a letter from the school verifying that one of the events listed above has occurred. The Intern shall agree that in the event of any overpayment(s), the Intern shall repay any and all undue amounts to Las Cruces Utilities. The Utilities Director or his/her designee may, at their discretion, agree to a payment plan in monthly installments in the event of overpayment.
  6. Drug Tests Shall be Conducted Pursuant to the Substance Abuse Prevention/Detection Policy. This Policy sets forth terms and conditions upon which the City will detect and prevent substance abuse in the workplace and administer drug and alcohol tests for all City employees. Interns will be subject to pre-employment testing, post-accident testing, random testing, testing based on reasonable cause/reasonable suspicion, return to duty testing, and follow-up testing as defined by the Substance Abuse Prevention/Detection Policy. Refusal to submit to a drug or alcohol test or failing any type of drug or alcohol test, while an intern, will be cause for immediate termination of employment and removal from the LCU Internship Program. A copy of the full Policy is available with this link Substance Abuse Prevention Detection Policy.

What are the requirements for LCU Internship Program Interns while in school? Maintain Enrollment. All Interns must maintain full-time enrollment in the Technology Program for which they were awarded an Internship until the program is completed. Please be advised that any courses that are not required or are unrelated to the Technology Program will not count toward the required credit hours in determining full-time enrollment status for the LCU Internship Program. Maintain Good Academic Standing. All Interns must remain as a full-time student, maintain at least a 2.5 GPA, and remain in good academic standing, while enrolled in the Internship supported Technology Program. Interns who do not maintain a 2.5 GPA will be subject to the breach-of-contract provisions. Notify the LCU Internship Program of Changes in Personal or Financial Information. Interns are required to maintain a current mailing address, e-mail address, name, and financial institution (bank) information to ensure an uninterrupted flow of Internship payments. In the case of a name change, please upload legal documentation for the change, such as a copy of a marriage certificate. Forgo Any Additional Employment Outside of LCU. To ensure academic and professional success, Interns are prohibited from working outside of LCU. Interns are expected to focus on school and LCU work, which is why a stipend and/or housing expenses are included with the program award. Exceptions may be considered by the Utilities Director via a formal request outlining the nature and demand of proposed outside employment. Utilities Director approval of such must be obtained in writing. Notify the LCU Internship Program of Any Changes in Enrollment Status. Interns are required to notify the LCU Internship Program immediately as soon as one of the following events is anticipated or has occurred: A repeat of any course work; A change in graduation date; A leave of absence approved by the school; Withdrawal or dismissal from the school; A change from full-time student status to a less than full-time student status; Voluntary withdrawal from any courses during a school year. The LCU Internship Program needs to know in advance when a change in enrollment status is anticipated so that timely action can be taken to determine if the Intern is still eligible to receive Internship support and to avoid overpayments (see “Changes in Internship Payment” section). The Intern must also submit a letter from the school verifying that one of the events listed above has occurred. The Intern shall agree that in the event of any overpayment(s), the Intern shall repay any and all undue amounts to Las Cruces Utilities. The Utilities Director or his/her designee may, at their discretion, agree to a payment plan in monthly installments in the event of overpayment. Drug Tests Shall be Conducted Pursuant to the Substance Abuse Prevention/Detection Policy. This Policy sets forth terms and conditions upon which the City will detect and prevent substance abuse in the workplace and administer drug and alcohol tests for all City employees. Interns will be subject to pre-employment testing, post-accident testing, random testing, testing based on reasonable cause/reasonable suspicion, return to duty testing, and follow-up testing as defined by the Substance Abuse Prevention/Detection Policy. Refusal to submit to a drug or alcohol test or failing any type of drug or alcohol test, while an intern, will be cause for immediate termination of employment and removal from the LCU Internship Program. A copy of the full Policy is available with this link Substance Abuse Prevention Detection Policy.

Contract and Program Guideline

Please read the Contract and Program Guideline in its entirety before proceeding with an application. This Guideline explains in detail the rights and obligations of individuals selected to participate in the LCU Internship Program. Be sure you have a complete understanding of the obligation to serve and the financial consequences of failing to perform that obligation.

In the most recent application period, all supporting documentation was to be submitted via email to:[email protected]  or delivered to LCU, 680 N. Motel Boulevard by 5 PM MST on April 30, 2024. This application period has already closed.

Printable contract can be found HERE!

Letters of Recommendation

Two recommendation letters are required and should be from individuals who are familiar with the applicant’s professional, community, and/or civic activities. The recommender(s) can be a teacher, an employer or previous employer, community leader, colleague, or anyone who has knowledge of the applicant’s interest and motivation to work in the water resources industry. The recommender(s) must not be a family member. The letters must have a handwritten signature and/or be on letterhead. If the requirements are not met, the applicant will be deemed ineligible.

Essays

Applicants are required to respond to the following three essay questions. Responses to essays must be uploaded as three separate documents, one document per essay. Each response should be limited to 2,500 characters or less (about a half of a page with spacing).

  • How will you contribute to the mission of the City of Las Cruces Utilities?
  • What experiences have you had or activities have you participated in that have prepared you to work with a diverse population?
  • Please discuss your commitment to pursue a career in the utility industry.

Application Status

Applicants will receive a receipt of submission once the application has been successfully submitted via email within the week of submission. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the entirety of the application and supporting documents are accurately submitted.

Once the application has been submitted, applicants may request an opportunity to make edits to their application and resubmit their application by the application deadline (April 30, 2024). Again, this application period has already closed. The ability to re-submit an application will be denied after the application deadline. Applications not submitted by this deadline will not be considered for an award. No exceptions will be made in cases where an applicant fails to re-submit an edited application.

Applicants who are no longer interested in receiving an LCU Internship Program award may withdraw their application at any time prior to the contract being countersigned by the Utilities Director or designee. To do so, applicants should formally notify the Utilities Director to withdraw in writing.

Interview Process

Applicants selected for the interview process will be notified by email stating our interest in interviewing. Applicants should respond to the email as directed within five (5) calendar days. Non-response will indicate the applicant is no longer interested.

Notification of Award

Individuals selected for an award will be notified by email/letter prior to the beginning of the semester. To accept the award, an applicant must respond by the deadline in the notice of award email/letter. If the applicant does not respond to the LCU Internship Program by that deadline, the offer of award expires and will be offered to an alternate. Applicants who respond by the deadline will be asked to sign the LCU Internship Program contract, and complete associated Internship paperwork in Human Resources.Individuals selected for an award who decide not to accept the award may decline the Internship support without penalty, which permits the promotion of alternates. Once An applicant declines the offer of award, the award will be offered to an alternate. There will not be any opportunities to reclaim the award. A decision to decline the Internship Award is final and cannot be changed under any circumstances. An applicant who declines an award may apply in the next application cycle. Applicants who do not receive an Internship award will be notified by email no later than July 1, 2024.

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The LCU Internship Program award and contract is for the 2024-2025 school year andany additional school years as indicated on the executed contracts. Support will beprovided during the school years agreed to in the executed contracts (not to exceed atotal of 2.5 school years of support, including any partial school year of fundingreceived).The 2024-2025 school year and LCU Internship Program contract — if approved bythe Utilities Director or designee — obligates the applicant to two (2) years to five (5)years of full-time, in good standing, service obligation. For an Intern to receive supportup to the date of graduation, the applicable school year contracts must be signed bythe Intern and the Utilities Director that cover the period up to the Intern’s date ofgraduation.

The Utilities Director or designee may terminate an LCU Internship Program contract if the Intern does the following:

  • Submits a written request to the Utilities Director to terminate the contract;
  • Repays all amounts paid to, or on behalf of, the Intern.

If an Intern meets these requirements and the Utilities Director terminates the contract, no service obligation will be incurred under the contract that was successfully terminated.The contract may also be terminated by the Utilities Director or designee if the Intern does not meet the work or academic obligations of the contract. In that instance, all school-related tuitions, fee, and amounts paid to or on behalf of the Intern must be repaid.

The end of the Internship support will be the date the Intern completes the requiredclasses for graduation or additional time beyond 2.5 years with prior approval from the Utilities Director.

  1. Financial Aid Received Before Notice of Award.
    1. Grants and Internships: If tuition and fees for the school year have been paid for by another source of financial aid (e.g., Pell Grant, Post-9/11 GI Bill,state grants or other Internships) before the Intern received notice of the LCU Internship Program award, then NMSU may return payments to the funding source and submit an invoice to the LCU Internship Program for payment.
    2. Loans: If a new Intern has taken out a student loan to cover the cost of tuition and fees for his/her summer and/or fall semesters while waiting for notice of a LCU Internship Program award, the Intern should supply an itemized invoice from NMSU to the LCU Internship Program showing the amount of tuition and fees paid for with the student loan. The LCU Internship Program will pay that amount to NMSU to cover the tuition costs covered by the loan. After notification of award and reimbursement as described above,the LCU Internship Program will not pay any costs covered by any student loans.
  2. Financial Aid Received After Notice of Award.
    1. If sources of financial aid other than the LCU Internship Program have been used topay for tuition and fees after an Intern has received notice of an LCU InternshipProgram award, tuition and fees will not be reimbursed. If a balance remains, then theIntern shall submit an itemized NMSU invoice for the remaining balance.

The LCU Internship Program expects the fiscal year (FY) 2025 application cycle to be very competitive and limited, where awards will be based on the approved budget.

1. Discontinuation of Internship Benefits.

The LCU Internship Program will discontinue payment of all benefits (i.e., tuition and eligible fees, Other Reasonable Costs, and stipend) under the following circumstances:

  1. Leave of absence. If the Intern is considering or required to take a leave of absence, please contact the LCU Internship Program immediately. A leaveof absence, usually granted for no more than one semester, will impact the award in the following ways:
    1. Discontinuation of award for the duration of the Leave of Absence. This includes:
      • Bi-weekly stipend or housing/meal plan payment.
      • Tuition and fee payment.
      • Other Reasonable Costs Payment. If the Intern received Other Reasonable Costs for the year, a prorated share for the duration of the Leave of Absence must be returned to the LCU Internship Program.
    2. An Intern is only eligible for a total of two-and-a-half (2.5) years of support. If the Intern is on a Leave of Absence for any part of a contract year and received any financial support from the LCU Internship Program during that contract year, that support obligates the Intern to provide service as set forth in the contract covering that school year. The Intern may consider contract termination for the contract year in which theIntern takes a leave of absence (Please see “Can my LCU InternshipProgram contract be terminated?”). Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the Intern contact the LCU Internship Program in advance of taking a Leave of Absence.
  2. Part-time student status. Interns enrolled in less than full-time status will not receive any support from the LCU Internship Program. In order to receive support, an Intern must be enrolled in school as a full-time student.
  3. School withdrawal or dismissal. An Intern’s withdrawal or dismissal from school is a breach of the Internship contract. The Intern will be liable to repay the amount described in the “Failure to Complete Academic Training” under the “Breaching the LCU Internship Program Contract” section.
  4. Failure to maintain good academic standing. Interns must maintain good academic standing. Interns are required to provide an “Authorization for Release of Educational Records” form and supply updates provided to theIntern from mynmsu.edu when requested. A minimum 2.5 GPA is required to 15 remain eligible for support. Interns who do not maintain a 2.5 GPA will be subject to the breach-of-contract provisions.
  5. Repeating course work. The LCU Internship Program will only pay for a course once. It is the student’s obligation to pay any expenses related to repeating a course and ensuring timely completion of the LCU Internship Program.

2. Resumption of Internship Benefits.

To resume benefits under an existing Internship contract, the Intern must submit documentation from NMSU confirming that the Intern is:

  1. Enrolled as a full-time student in courses leading to the degree for which the Internship was awarded;
  2. In good academic standing; and
  3. Not repeating course work.

Requests for the resumption of Internship benefits will be considered on a case-bycase basis by the LCU Internship Program to determine the Intern’s eligibility to receivecontinuing funds. For Interns who have not repaid overpayments received, theresumption of Internship benefits will be subject to the administrative offset describedbelow in the “Collection of Benefit Overpayments” section. For Interns whose benefitswere discontinued due to their withdrawal or dismissal from school, benefits will notbe resumed, and Interns are liable for repayment of all LCU Internship Program fundspaid to them or on their behalf (see “Failure to Complete Academic Training” section).Benefits will not be resumed under Internship contracts that have been terminated.See the section on “Can my LCU Internship Program contract be terminated?”.

3. Collection of Internship Benefit Overpayments.

Overpayments are considered Internship payments to an Intern or to NMSU on theIntern’s behalf, to which the Intern was not entitled because he/she was on an approved leave of absence, was enrolled as a less than full-time student, or is no longer enrolled in the Technology Program. Overpayments may also occur due to an administrative error. An Intern receiving an overpayment must immediately contact the LCU Internship Program, follow up in writing, and make arrangements to promptly return the overpayments to avoid interest accrual and debt collection procedures.

  1. Administrative offset. For Interns who receive subsequent funding under the LCU Internship Program, the overpayments may be collected through administrative offset. The LCU Internship Program may withhold Internship funds payable to, or on behalf of, the Intern (including stipends, Other Reasonable Costs, and if necessary, tuition/fees payments) until the overpayment is paid in full.
  2. Debt collection procedures. Debt collection procedures include sending delinquent overpayments to a debt collection agency or reporting the over payments to credit reporting agency.

Receipt of an Internship award does not automatically preclude an Intern from receiving funds from other programs if no service obligation is involved. However,many student assistance programs are based on the student’s financial need or maybe limited to the payment of expenses already paid by the LCU Internship Program.Applicants should contact their financial aid officers to determine how the receipt of another Internship may affect them. Tuition and fees already paid by another program should not be submitted to the LCU Internship Program for payment unless payment from the other source occurred before the Intern received notice of his/her LCU Internship Program award and reimbursement will be made to the funding source.

Interns must test for their respective water/wastewater levels or applicable certifications within the time frame stipulated in their full-time employee positionand Personnel Action Notice.

Generally, LCU Internship Program Interns will automatically be placed as a Utility Intern Worker as a contract employee in the following Utilities Department lines of business dependent on the Technology Program degree received:

  • Water O&M – Water Technology, Welding Technology;
  • Wastewater O&M – Wastewater Technology, Welding Technology;
  • Regulatory & Compliance – Water/Wastewater Technology, Environmental & Energy Technologies;
  • Management of Information Systems – Computer Information Technology,Environmental & Energy Technologies;
  • Natural Gas & Energy O&M – Electronics Technology, Environmental & Energy Technologies, Welding Technology;
  • Solid Waste Collections – Welding Technology;
  • Business Services – Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration; or
  • Technical Support – Drafting & Design Technology, Electronics Technology,Environmental & Energy Technologies.

At which time the two (2) to five (5) year commitment begins. As a new Utilities Intern Worker, you are eligible to apply for any operational jobs available in the above lines of business within Utilities in accordance with the City of Las Cruces Personnel Manual.

Interns will be placed in one of the four lines of business as a Utilities contract InternWorker as soon as possible upon graduation from school. Thirty to sixty days post graduation, or at the earliest time a position becomes available, subject to the discretion of the LCU.