Blog » Students given a flavour of working life around world

Students given a flavour of working life around world

7th July 2015

Eighteen students from across Northern Ireland will spend this summer gaining technical experience overseas.

The students from Queen’s University, Belfast, and Ulster University have been selected to take part in IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience), an exchange programme which sees students from all scientific and technical disciplines, undertake work placements across the globe during the summer months.

Working in countries as diverse as South Korea, the Czech Republic and the United States, it is hoped that the skills the students gain will significantly contribute to their future employment prospects when they return to Northern Ireland.

The programme is managed by British Council Northern Ireland and is open to degree level science, engineering, technology and applied arts students in the second year of study and above.

Speaking about the programme, David Alderdice, British Council Director in Northern Ireland, said: “International business connections and partnerships are vital for economic success and growth.

Exchange programmes like IAESTE facilitate these connections by sending out our future business leaders into the international marketplace to gain international experience and build partnerships for success.

“This kind of work experience enhances independence and flexibility as well as communication and foreign language skills, and contributes to personal and academic development.

“Employers know that if students have successfully overcome the challenges brought on by international work experience, they will stand out from the crowd at interview.”

IAESTE runs in more than 80 member countries, with over 4,000 traineeships each year and is the largest organisation of its kind in the world. It is supported by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), with local universities and the British Council.

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