by Phase 2 Scholar » Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:16 pm
I didn't get the email you are referring to but I'll comment anyway.
The hiring freeze is slated to end on or before April 20, 2025, when the OMB submits a plan to reduce the size of the Government's workforce. (There's a possibility this freeze might be extended, however.)
If you graduated in December and don't have a start date before February 8th, you definitely should start applying elsewhere. The government is unlikely to take you onboard until May at the very earliest, and it's likely it will take even longer than that.
If you are graduating in May, it's impossible to say what the future holds. You'll get a lot more insights when the OMB releases their plan in April. You should be prepared for the possibility there won't be a job waiting for you when you graduate.
As for concerns about the program being cut, funding is controlled by Congress, not the presidency. And the funding is set up in a way that I don't think Congress can easily claw back funds already allocated to fund the educations of Phase 1 scholars already in the program. So, I'd expect that potential funding cuts are likely a bigger concern for applicants and scholars who need Phase 1 extensions. But that's just my perspective; I might be eating my words in a few months.
I didn't get the email you are referring to but I'll comment anyway.
The hiring freeze is slated to end on or before April 20, 2025, when the OMB submits a plan to reduce the size of the Government's workforce. (There's a possibility this freeze might be extended, however.)
If you graduated in December and don't have a start date before February 8th, you definitely should start applying elsewhere. The government is unlikely to take you onboard until May at the very earliest, and it's likely it will take even longer than that.
If you are graduating in May, it's impossible to say what the future holds. You'll get a lot more insights when the OMB releases their plan in April. You should be prepared for the possibility there won't be a job waiting for you when you graduate.
As for concerns about the program being cut, funding is controlled by Congress, not the presidency. And the funding is set up in a way that I don't think Congress can easily claw back funds already allocated to fund the educations of Phase 1 scholars already in the program. So, I'd expect that potential funding cuts are likely a bigger concern for applicants and scholars who need Phase 1 extensions. But that's just my perspective; I might be eating my words in a few months.