A wave of layoffs initiated by Trump’s second administration affected more than 175,000 federal workers, including Penn students and alumni.
Over 100,000 federal employees have lost their jobs following cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency. An additional 75,000 federal employees left their roles after President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump offered them a buyout shortly after he took office.
The Department of Education, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Department of Transportation are among the agencies affected by these job cuts.
A Penn graduate — who requested anonymity — told The Daily Pennsylvanian that workers within her agency did not expect the mass layoffs, adding that she thought her “position would be safe.” The alumna noted the “futility of laying people off at random,” sharing that prior to losing her job, she was responsible for work that would typically fall on three employees.
“I think it would have been in the best interest of the people not to let me go,” she said.
She noted that her supervisor and other colleagues reached out to offer support in the form of professional connections and references for job applications.
Another Penn graduate who recently lost his job said that the employment cuts were “forecast” in an effort to have “more command over the federal workforce.” However, he noted that the impact of these cuts to the probationary workforce — typically new hires or employees who have been promoted or moved into a new position — was mostly unexpected.
The job cuts are reported to have disproportionately impacted recent graduates who have just entered the workforce.
“The layoffs have had a very perverse effect on the agencies,” the alumnus said. “It basically took away the younger workforce. Most of the people that were affected are early-career.”
He added that laid-off employees were given no resources to help them find new employment, and noted that, to his knowledge, no severance packages were offered.
According to the same Penn graduate, the Trump administration eliminated programs that facilitate entry into the federal government and placement in agencies — such as the Presidential Management Fellows program. He emphasized that this would also have a significant impact on the employment of young people in government.
Penn in Washington Executive Director Deirdre Martinez said that while the federal layoffs have not yet affected the program, "we anticipate future cohorts may face challenges in securing internships with federal agencies"
Martinez said that PIW has developed a new “research track” to make up for challenges securing internships, where students will be able to “conduct in-depth policy analysis” through attending congressional hearings, using the Library of Congress and National Archives, and interacting with policy experts.
“These changes reflect our dedication to providing meaningful experiences in public service, regardless of the political climate,” Martinez said. “We believe these adaptations will not only address the current challenges but also offer students a more comprehensive understanding of policy research and analysis in Washington.”
Both graduates agreed that people may be apprehensive about pursuing a career in public service following the massive government layoffs. One graduate said that he does not know “who in their right mind would consider career opportunities right now in the federal government.”
“Looking at what is happening now, it’s really troublesome and people are not going to want to get involved with that,” the Penn alumna said. “That’s totally okay because everybody has to do what they need to survive.”
However, she said the recent layoffs have “strengthened my desire to serve the public,” adding that even if pursuing work in the federal government is not financially feasible at the moment, she wishes to eventually return to public service.
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