The Student Educational Employment Program is government sanctioned and provides students with the opportunity for employment. The program is for students at high schools, technical or vocational schools, two- or four-year colleges or universities, and even those in graduate or professional schools. Interested students must be enrolled (or accepted for enrollment) and take at least half a course's workload.

One component of the program is the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP). SCEP provides qualified students with a paid internship that leads to a non-competitive position after obtaining a degree and the completion of 640 hours of on-the-job training. While 640 hours may seem like a lot, recent additions to the program can waive this requirement, including exceptional job performance or active-duty military service. It's important to note that the educational program must have a standing agreement with SCEP.

While positions are nationwide, and vary from program analyst to criminal investigator, there are opportunities right here on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). Openings at JBLM commissaries can assist students in the following degree fields: commissary management; human resource management; information systems & technology; financial management & accounting; procurement & purchasing; marketing and more.

The SCEP is not only advantageous for students, but also for the workforce. Agencies, like the commissary, are guaranteed to have well-educated, trained and experienced individuals to work within their company. Since managers evaluate the student's time and performance during the internship and use the student's capabilities, the student is shaped into the kind of worker the company needs.

The second program offered to students is the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP). This gives individuals a chance to work in a clerical or wage-grade position while gaining experience in a structured work environment. Unlike SCEP, however, students enrolled in STEP don't have the potential of converting a paid internship into employment. In addition, those working with STEP are not required to work in an environment focused around their field of study. 

Though these programs are offered across the nation through various agencies, at the commissary they fall under the Office of Personnel Management and are implemented by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA).