Fort Knox to host EEO Army Apprenticeship Program

By G. Anthonie Riis | Fort Knox NewsJanuary 17, 2020

Fort Knox to host EEO Army Apprenticeship Program
An altered Uncle Sam poster invites viewers to become Equal Opportunity Leaders. Fort Knox has been selected to host a two-year Army Apprentice Program for college graduates to intern with the Fort Knox Equal Employment Opportunity office. Interested... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Fort Knox has been selected to host a two-year Army Apprentice Program for interns seeking to work at an Equal Employment Opportunity office.

Robert Brown, the Fort Knox EEO officer, said the selection has been received well among them.

"This is really a big deal to us," Brown said. "We've been entrusted with training those who will follow us. [That] is something we take very seriously."

Serious and thorough training was a significant reason Fort Knox was the selected training site, according to a director in the program.

"Fort Knox has a proven history of being an excellent training location with an exceptional staff of EEO trainers and mentors," said Lee Carver, director with the Civilian Career Management Proponency and the U.S. Army Equity and Inclusion Agency. "[Knox] has been a command-designated training location for at least the last three training cycles."

Brown said the apprenticeship program is focused on a particular hiring pool.

"They specifically choose candidates who have graduated from college - graduate or undergraduate programs," Brown said."

Announcements are posted on, and apprentices could be selected locally or abroad. Brown said this program also affords those without military backgrounds an opportunity to find employment with the Department of Defense.

"[The DOD] primarily hires veterans," Brown said. "This is an excellent opportunity to participate in civil service [without having served in the military]. [Here's] another talent pool to pull from to help diversify the federal government."

Brown said that present government employees who have recently finished their undergraduate or graduate degree may also apply. Carver said the program may give interns advantages over employees who are thrown into the job.

"[This] allows for formal classroom and experiential training that is necessary for an entry-level employee. Without this process, the employee would have to rely much more heavily on on-the-job training," she said. "This requires much greater supervision … with the additional time commitment from senior employees, leading to degradation in mission accomplishment. This is in contrast to an Army apprentice who has two years to train and learn new skills."

Brown said the apprentices are placed into developmental positions that begin at GS7 and may go to GS11.

The training covers a broad area that educates, evaluates and advises federal employees to ensure fair and equal treatment by preventing illegal practices that discriminate because of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion reprisal or sex.

"They'll learn how to process discrimination claims for federal employees," Brown said. "We ensure you know your full employment rights. This is the vehicle used to challenge unfair employment, and this is very needed in a diversified work environment."

The program is currently waiting for potential apprentices to accept offers of employment. Job announcements can be found at USAJOBS [see link below.]

Related Links:

Read more Fort Knox News here.

View job announcments here.