STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

State and local government job opportunities have been expanding at this level as state and local governments are dealing with a wider variety of societal problems than in the past. Courses in urban politics, local and state government, and public administration would be of obvious value to the major interested in this type of career. Any coursework that develops communication skills is valuable, as is any that provides insight leading to greater maturity, sensitivity to current and future public issues, and the ability to understand and deal with people of widely different backgrounds. As indicated previously, coursework in quantitative methods, statistics, and computer technology would be beneficial to most local government administrators.

The branches and agencies of government at the state and local levels vary as to the specific prerequisites for various jobs, e.g., whether a college degree or specific examinations are required. A state's Civil Service Commission is the main agency handling employment at the state level. In Oklahoma, this is the Office of Personnel Management, listed under Merit System in the Oklahoma City telephone book. Local government offices should be contacted directly by the student regarding job opportunities and requirements. You can check the official state website, for information about Oklahoma state agencies and state jobs. Current job listings in local government are available at GovtJob.Net, sponsored by the Local Government Institute (LGI).