Today's job market is tough. A recent study from Georgetown University Center of Education and Workforce shows that young adults make up a much larger share of the unemployed population than the workforce. Even as the economy continues to rise from the depths of the recession, recent graduates are going to have fierce competition for full-time employment.
More and more Americans are obtaining Bachelors degrees and according to National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 63.2% of graduating seniors in 2013 have completed an internship or co-op. A study abroad experience or an internship, though both great and beneficial experiences, are not enough to make you stand apart from others entering the workforce each year.
How to stand out:
Global Experiences has been providing customized international internships for over 12 years because we think an international work experience can greatly enhance a graduate's resume. Most international internships are unpaid and a structured program can be a large investment. We have no doubt that the investment will be returned to you through personal and professional growth. However, the important thing is that you believe that the investment is worth it.
But seriously, why does this cost money?
1) Providing housing, career development, visa support, and internship placements in a large city is hard work and involves a lot of different factors. The most expensive factor: housing. Living in the center of a city like London, New York City, or Sydney is expensive. I mean really, really, ridiculously expensive. For example, it's cheaper to rent a castle in France than it is to pay rent for a five-bedroom townhouse in the Bronx. New York City's rent averages about $3,000 a month and London is about £1,100. We think location is key so we provide centralized housing in all our locations so that interns can fully embrace all that each city has to offer.
2) Organizing an internship locally can be difficult, but organizing one abroad is even more challenging. Our staff works with interns from all over the world and we give each of them individual support prior to arrival and once they have arrived in their location. Organizing visas, planning social events, coordinating calls, and providing 24 emergency support to each intern takes a lot of man hours. Our staff spans 3 continents, 4 time zones, and 9 cities and all of us are in constant communication to help create the best internship experience possible for our interns. Our dedicated team of Location Coordinators, Program Advisors, Program Consultants, and management are our most valuable assets.
3) There are many different costs of a business and logistics that go into a great international internship experience. Our program fee includes medical and travel insurance, professional development including access to Gallup's Clifton StrengthsFinder assessments, social events and excursions, and language courses in some locations.
The points above are just some of the tangible benefits and costs of an internship program, but an internship with Global Experiences isn't an investment into city housing, or networking events, or even an internship. It's an investment into your future. Studies have shown that an international experience is one of the most enriching experiences in one's life. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology states that students who travel and live abroad have positive changes in their personality. An internship in a new city can increase your self-confidence, ability to adapt to new situations, and extroversion. An international work experience can increase your marketability to employers while also positively impacting your personality and professionalism.
Does that seem like a sound investment to you?
