Notes from the Field: Sam Libby ’17

Sam Libby ’17 interned at the National Economic Council during 2015 Fall Term. The following is adapted from his internship report.

The National Economic Council (NEC) is part of the Executive Office of the President and is the primary advisory body to the President on U.S. and global economic policy. The NEC also coordinates with state, local, and federal agencies on domestic and international economic issues along with spearheading many of the President’s economic initiatives.

As an intern, Sam worked with the skills policy group within the NEC, which handles workforce data sharing, licensing reform, the TechHire initiative, and other proposals that aim to help millions of Americans return to work. His days were filled with an array of meetings, research and analysis, and other office tasks.

More specifically, his team helped to provide disadvantaged youth, the long-term unemployed, veterans, and minorities with the necessary skills to succeed in the modern workplace.

As with any new job, this internship presented the challenge of having to become quickly well-versed on a previously unfamiliar topic, such as the TechHire program. Sam felt prior work experiences enabled him to hit the ground running, and he found himself able to settle into his new responsibilities and quickly become a contributing member of team despite being the youngest intern in the office.