Ten students from Sonoma Adventist College have successfully completed a four-week internship with the Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD), gaining hands-on experience in government operations, project implementation, and financial accountability. The internship, part of DIRD’s commitment to nurturing future public servants, offered the students practical exposure to how the District Services Improvement Program (DSIP) is administered and reported at the national level. At a farewell ceremony held at the DIRD headquarters, Acting Secretary Mr. Aihi Vaki commended the students for their commitment and professionalism. “Your eagerness and strong work ethic have helped expose you to the broader responsibilities of the public service,” Mr. Vaki said. “You’ve seen how DSIP funding is managed, acquitted, and documented to ensure transparency and accountability.” During their internship, the students were attached to several key divisions including the DSIP Division, Southern Region, and Program Implementation sections. They contributed to processing over 205 acquittal books from districts across the Highlands, Southern, and Momase regions — work that directly supports government planning and reporting processes. Deputy Secretary for the Program and Implementation Wing, Mr. Gordon Wafimbi, acknowledged the tangible impact of the trainees' work. “The work you’ve done goes beyond learning — it has directly supported our operations. These records are vital to our transparency efforts and overall program delivery,” he said. Minister for Rural and Economic Development and Member for Kandrian-Gloucester, Hon. Joseph Lelang, also congratulated the students. He expressed pride in one of the interns, Bradley Kaumu, a recipient of his district’s scholarship scheme. The program has supported over 5,000 students since its launch in 2013. “It gives me great pride to see students we have sponsored now contributing within government agencies like DIRD,” the Minister said. “This is proof that investing in education and training opens doors. It’s not just about paying school fees — it’s about building the nation’s human capital.” A student representative, Shane Gadebo, delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of the group, describing the internship as both inspiring and transformative. “We’ve learned about accountability, transparency, and what it means to serve the people with honesty,” he said. “This experience has built our confidence and deepened our understanding of how government really works.” DIRD expressed its intention to continue expanding its collaboration with higher education institutions like Sonoma College, aiming to equip more young Papua New Guineans with practical public service experience.