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CNN - April 2009 click here
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International Psychology - Spring 2009 click here (page 18)
Austin Business Journal - May 2009 click here
Graduates Combat Real World Let Down by Obtaining Real World Experience
AIDE nonprofit organization offers US college graduates international intern, work, teach and volunteer opportunities that boost their job and global outlook
Austin, TX – April 30, 2009 – This spring, after four (sometimes five) years of long lectures, cramped note taking fingers and nearly overdosing on late night coffee cramming sessions; university students around the nation will finally obtain their coveted degrees. Then what? Will they have a cush corner cubicle already lined up and waiting for them? Not likely. Forget easily obtaining a job upon graduation, let alone the coveted corner cubicle. The economy is bleak and the job market is even more dismal. Layoff numbers rise daily while the marketplace continues to experience sharp downturns. Along with this dismal reality, companies are raising their standards and GPA requirements, making it even more difficult for graduates to obtain their first “real world job” without additional “real world experience” on their resume. In the current global economy, employers are not only seeking candidates who possess skills and knowledge in a specific sector; they are also in search of those who have a strong resume with qualities that differentiate them from others. Many university graduates would rather run back into the lecture halls than to leap into this new world of monetary uncertainty. But some wise baccalaureates have turned to (volunteer) work programs abroad such as the Association of International Development and Exchange (AIDE). AIDE is a nonprofit organization that was created to allow its 17 year-old international recruitment parent company Alliance Abroad Group (AAG) to expand its reach of giving back to local and global communities, and to create socially responsible citizens. AIDE’s programs help participants and communities develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to build a more broadminded and just world.
Experience abroad sets graduates apart and grabs employers’ attention and interest. Global interns demonstrate attractive attributes gained through work abroad such as such as: cross cultural competency; flexibility; problem solving skills; decision making and interpersonal communication. They return with new ideas, can assist in initiating new projects, serve as a guide to educate others on what they learned from different cultures, and open the minds of others by pouring knowledge back into their community and their new jobs “When I first starting looking for a job after college, I saw my limitations,” shared Erica Zelenak, a recent University of Texas graduate and an AIDE participant who joined the program to volunteer and learn fluent Spanish. She is going to teach English in Chile this summer. “I am Latina, but I do not speak fluent Spanish. Someone applying for a job could have the same education, experiences and similar skills, but if they speak Spanish they are going to get hired instead of me. They can communicate with more people and can reach more people and that is attractive to an employer. I would much rather make someone feel more comfortable and welcome because I know their language than them having to make me feel comfortable.”
Zelenak feels that her experience with AIDE will also make her more socially aware. “We live in America and we are multicultural – but not really. After a few generations of living in America, we really all become “Americans” and lose bits of our original culture. My grandmother and mother were not born here and I am first generation American. I am more compassionate to other cultures because I learn this from my family. But I want to build more awareness and worldliness. I want to learn about different people, different ways of life, different ways of doing things and a different philosophy. I’d like to build awareness in others and become a force for advocacy of awareness.” She recently started her own nonprofit called Social Thinker (www.socialthinker.org) with her friend George Schemagin. Social Thinker has assisted with facilitating projects for AIDE’s South Africa Project (www.Austin2Africa.com).
The ability to list global work experience is not only a resume booster in the current day and age, but is quickly becoming a must-have credential to keep a competitive edge in the global market. “I am a French citizen who has been living and working in the USA for the past eight years. Before coming to the US, I had traveled quite a bit and gained professional experience during university break internships in Czech Republic, Senegal and Italy,” recalled Vanessa Noel, AIDE’s Associate Director. “Now, my role at AIDE is to encourage young adults to start building their own career. The world is becoming more global every day, the job market is too.”
Finding the right international internship and enrolling in one can be quite time consuming and expensive. Programs such as AIDE do all of the research, paper work and processing. “When looking for the right internship, you always have two choices: take care of the process by yourself and hope that everything will go well, or you enroll with an organization like AIDE who supports you throughout the process,” said Noel. An internship placement abroad is not just about finding an employer. It is about having a strong local and personal support. AIDE prides itself on finding the right position and workplace that meets the applicant’s background and goals. “The most important thing an applicant needs to consider is: what is the final accomplishment they are looking for when applying for an internship abroad. This experience is much more than just exploring a culture and improving your resume. It is also about challenging yourself and discovering a potential within that you may have never known.”
AIDE internships are from one month to 12 months, and may include cultural activities and language lessons. All of the internship placements provide a guaranteed position prior to departure, strong local and personal support, paperwork and visa documentation, orientations and travel medical insurance. AIDE also offers teach programs in Chile and China, and a work program in Australia and helps to find international internship in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ireland, Peru, Spain and South Africa. Intern and volunteer fields include but are not limited to: Medicine, Business Management, Business Administration, International Relations, Sales & Marketing, Accounting & Finance, IT & Graphic Design, Education, Community Development, Environmental Studies, Zoology/Veterinary Science, Tourism and Hospitality, Legal, Agriculture, Journalism, Women's Rights, Engineering, Human Resources.
About AIDE
OUR MOTTO: SAFE AND MEANINGFUL TRAVELS
Past: Alliance Abroad Group was created in 1992 with a mission: to develop programs and services for people who would bring positive change in their communities in the U.S. and abroad, and also to enhance international understanding. Alliance Abroad Group is a designated Work/Travel, Intern/Trainee and Teacher visa sponsor by the U.S. Department of State.
AIDE was born in 2007 in order to allow Alliance Abroad Group to expand its reach to give back to local and global communities, and to create socially responsible citizens. AIDE’s programs help participants and communities develop the knowledge, skills and understanding required to build a more tolerant, more just world.
Present: AIDE, a non-profit organization, now operates independently from Alliance Abroad Group, but continues to draw from its 17 years of expertise and experience in program management and support. AIDE was the only Volunteer Abroad organization approved to be represented at the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative University. AIDE is also a member of the 2009 Dell Social Innovation Competition Judge's Circle.
AIDE offers group and individual work, volunteer, internship and teach programs in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa and South and Central America. All of our programs are developed with the goal of providing a rewarding and fully secure experience, with the best possible preparation and support throughout the process. They are also aimed to fulfill the true needs of local communities.
For the last 3 years, we have continually given our personal time, financial contributions, support and energy to the following organizations and events in Austin, TX where we are based: Project Transitions, Austin Habitat for Humanity, Communities in Schools, Make a Wish Foundation, Matthews Elementary School, Meals on Wheels, Ride for AIDS, Lyons Gardens Family Eldercare, Capitol Area Food Bank, Caritas, Town Lake Animal Shelter, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Shoal Creek Cleaning.
In 2006, we got involved with the Katrina Evacuees in Austin by providing food, clothes and friendship. In 2008, AIDE staff joined a group of university students in painting, repairing, and teaching English at a rural school in San Carlos, Costa Rica during their Spring Break. We also traveled to Guatemala to demonstrate our commitment to community service by painting the exterior of a local heath care facility for adults and children with disabilities. Finally, we volunteered for 2 months in an orphanage in Khayelitsha, the second largest township of South Africa.
In 2009, we implemented the Austin2Africa project that supports 20 volunteers in Austin, TX to fundraise and travel to Nyanga, South Africa the first week of November and restore a crowded orphanage.
AIDE
Contact: Vanessa Noel
Associate Director
512.904.1121
Vanessa@aideabroad.org
The Association for International Development and Exchange (AIDE)
has been awarded a two year contract by the Chilean Ministry of
Education to send volunteers 21-50 years old to Northern Chile to
teach English.
The “English Opens Doors” program
was created as a joint effort between the United Nations Development
Program and the Chilean Ministry of Education in order to prepare
Chilean students for the multicultural world they will be part of
as adults. The goal is to equip students with an understanding of
English that will enable them to access more educational and professional
opportunities.
“There are three main benefits of
the English Opens Doors program,” said Lauren Stone, Executive
Director of AIDE. “First, Chilean students will study English
with a native speaker. Second, Chilean teachers will work with volunteers
and improve their comprehension. Third, volunteers will experience
another culture, advance their Spanish speaking abilities and grow
as global citizens.”
Volunteers are provided housing and meals
with a Chilean family and receive a monthly stipend for personal
expenses. Placements are in Northern Chile, famous for its moderate
climate and diverse landscape.
“I am having the most unbelievable
day in Chile… this morning, the Chilean President Michelle
Bachelet talked to us about education,” said Kati Altschwager,
a Teach Chile program volunteer in 2006.
Program lengths consist of six to eight
month placements and begin in March or May. There are still plenty
of spaces for volunteers.
Visit ww.aideabroad.org
for more details.
The mission of the Association of International
Development and Exchange (AIDE) is to foster growth, global awareness,
and education through exchange programs around the world. Specifically,
AIDE targets young adults in order to better shape their world view
and promote positive change.
AIDE
Contact: Vanessa Noel
Associate Director
512.904.1121
Vanessa@aideabroad.org
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