This time last year, federal workers were fretting about getting DOGE’d—laid off by the Trump administration’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Now, many are wondering how they’ll land their next job.

Through DOGE and its aftershocks, over 300,000 federal employees have left their government posts as of December, whether they were laid off, fired, or resigned. Though the Trump administration touted its DOGE-motivated deferred resignation program as granting government workers a “dignified, fair departure” from their jobs, many said it certainly didn’t feel that way.

In the wake of so much uncertainty and the trauma of losing livelihoods—and, for some, their life’s work—the mass exodus brought the need for emotional and professional support. Federal alumni banded together to create department-specific groups, or leaned on the few that already existed. A year later, though, many former federal employees are still looking for work, and some who retained their government jobs are in need of guidance when deciding whether they want to keep working under the Trump administration.

In response, federal alumni groups have started offering employment resources and connecting each other with job leads. And at a time when many former and current government workers feel smeared by members of the Trump administration’s remarks about them, these groups have become a source of professional support that seems to have disappeared from government workplaces.

For more on the alumni groups supporting laid off and current government workers, keep reading here.—TC

The Department of Labor (DOL) announced on April 2 it would administer $76 million across roughly 163 grants to advance workplace readiness for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

Approximately $62 million will support employment training for adults, while the rest will fund programs that help develop academic and literacy skills for Native American youth. The DOL also said it will distribute additional grants to support year-round employment and job training for Native Americans ages 14–24.

The money could prove impactful for the more than 9.7 million Native people in the US, who have historically faced hurdles to career advancement, including geographic barriers that may limit job opportunities for those living in rural areas like Alaska and Oklahoma, according to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI).

For more on the workforce challenges facing Native Americans, keep reading here.—KP

If a day in the life of an intern at your organization still involves making coffee and copies, sit back, relax, and allow us to remind you of the purpose and potential of an internship program. (Otherwise, gold stars for you!)

“If you want access to the best early talent, having an internship program gives you a first row seat into what you could be recruiting and who you could be converting,” Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake, said during a recent episode of HR Brew’s People Person podcast.

Cruzvergara sat down with Kate Noel, SVP and head of people operations at Morning Brew, to discuss the objectives and opportunities of internship programs.

For more from our conversation with Cruzvergara, keep here.—VV

As AI reshapes jobs and entry-level roles disappear, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are facing growing uncertainty about their careers. Experts share why anxiety is rising—and what HR leaders should understand about supporting the next generation of workers.