Foreign Exchange Work Programs
- Intercultural work programs offer employment and education.liasse image by Francis Lemp??ri?¡§re from Fotolia.com
Working abroad offers both educational and economical benefits. With students and non-students seeking work in foreign countries, work exchange programs complement this interest and give foreign employers easier access to those seeking employment abroad. These programs may be combined with study or focused completely on work. In either case, foreign exchange work programs give benefits to both employer and worker, with exposure to intercultural diversity among the perks. - Established in 1985, the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI) houses two main foreign exchange work programs: teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and a service work program.
The TEFL program sends qualified teachers to Chile, China, Georgia, Korea, Thailand or Taiwan. For those with no TEFL experience, CCI offers a self-paced TEFL certification course lasting no longer than six months.
The service work program takes workers to either Australia or New Zealand for employment in restaurants, call centers, resorts, offices and hotels as well as at farms and orchards.
Workers must be 20 or older for the TEFL program and between 18 and 30 for the service work program.
Center for Cultural Exchange
746 North LaSalle
Chicago, IL 60654-1879
312-944-2544
cci-exchange.com - The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) works with teachers interested in TEFL work overseas. Opportunities exist in Chile, China, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Spain and Thailand. All of these opportunities require a bachelor's degree and possible TEFL certification, depending on the destination. Workload ranges from 15 to 26 hours per week for three to 12 months, with housing provided. Additional time is spent on school events, extra-curricular activities and meetings. As an example of compensation, the Spain program offers 700 euros per month as of July 2010.
Council on International Educational Exchange
300 Fore St.
Portland, ME 04101
866-609-CIEE
ciee.org - The U.S. Department of State regulates a program utilized by numerous U.S. employers during the summer months. International post-secondary students may work in the U.S. at designated places of employment, such as national parks and resorts. Possible jobs requiring more advanced skills include architectural work, scientific research, graphic art and other media communication work. The program cannot surpass four months and must be performed during the students' summer vacation. The Department keeps a sponsor list on its website.
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
U.S. Department of State, SA-5
2200 C St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20522-0500
202-632-6445
exchanges.state.gov
