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| "Domestic Education" may soon join the growing ranks of entertaining oxymorons and anachronisms. |
It is impossible to deny the realities of the shrinking world, internationalization, outsourcing, offshoring and a global job market (versus a disintegrating and far less promising career path than ever in modern history in the U.S. and in other industrialized nations undergoing their share of economic, social and political challenges) where cultural sensitivity, multilingualism and training in international trade practices and basic ambassadorship skills are becoming increasingly important in both the short term (i.e., post-graduation job placement) and the longer-term (i.e., experienced internationalists and multiculturally adept executives are in growing demand in virtually every civilized country and emerging nation on the planet.
In brief, students and prospective employers are demanding increased levels of sophistication, education, and experience in such globalized areas as international trade practices, finance, cultural sensitivity, foreign languages and multilingualism; high schools and universities are are responding by providing offerings (and often incorporating degree-granting requirements) which can better accommodate this acknowledgment of the present global village, and future interconnected world.
International education is just a product of socio-economic Darwinism.
College students in the western industrialized nations are studying Mandarin.
Marketing and management majors are now specializing in international marketing and international corporate/ organizational management.
This is a slow but inevitable change in traditional educational trajectories as universities hunger to attract students [the principal source of revenue for operations since so many endowment funds have lost value and contributions from alumni have become scarcer to come by] in order to stay afloat.
Global education and internships are simply a response to the supply and demand forces and dynamics in a changing worldscape, where xenophobia and technophobia are being overcome as necessary for survival in an increasingly complex world economy comprised of increasingly inextricably intertwined transnational dependencies.
In very pedestrian terms, students and prospective employers want to go where the money is and they are prepared to go to great lengths to gain mobilization capability and career skill sets which provide the greatest probability of meaningful employment and the chance at a real career, with real growth opportunities.
The article which follows appeared in one of last month's editions of the BigThink Newsletter, a wonderful informational resource, industry by industry:
College Internships Are Going Global
What is the Big Idea?
The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and more employers are looking for candidates with global experience. Now, college students are getting in on the action by gaining work experience in overseas internships.
Cheryl Miyake, a junior at Stanford majoring in sociology, got an internship in Beijing last summer working for a local company that offers music and English immersion classes to children.
Stephen Keil, a sophomore majoring in international relations and minoring in French at Syracuse University, worked full time last summer to save for his fall internship with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.
What is the Significance?
The total number of American students traveling abroad for internships and receiving academic credit was at 20,000 in 2009-10, up from 7,000 in academic year 2000-01, according to the Open Doors 2011 report issued by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a New York-based nonprofit.
“I think if a student is interested in pursuing any sort of career outside of the U.S., it’s a great idea to immerse yourself in the environment,” said Lauren Berger in an interview with The New York Times. Berger is author of “All Work, No Pay” and chief executive of Internqueen.com, an online internship site.
China is a favored destination for overseas internships, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Recruiters like Dan Black from Ernst and Young pay close attention to students who have work experience in Asia, especially China. [read the entire article]
####The world is becoming increasingly interconnected and more employers are looking for candidates with global experience. Now, college students are getting in on the action by gaining work experience in overseas internships.
Cheryl Miyake, a junior at Stanford majoring in sociology, got an internship in Beijing last summer working for a local company that offers music and English immersion classes to children.
Stephen Keil, a sophomore majoring in international relations and minoring in French at Syracuse University, worked full time last summer to save for his fall internship with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.
What is the Significance?
The total number of American students traveling abroad for internships and receiving academic credit was at 20,000 in 2009-10, up from 7,000 in academic year 2000-01, according to the Open Doors 2011 report issued by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a New York-based nonprofit.
“I think if a student is interested in pursuing any sort of career outside of the U.S., it’s a great idea to immerse yourself in the environment,” said Lauren Berger in an interview with The New York Times. Berger is author of “All Work, No Pay” and chief executive of Internqueen.com, an online internship site.
China is a favored destination for overseas internships, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. Recruiters like Dan Black from Ernst and Young pay close attention to students who have work experience in Asia, especially China. [read the entire article]
Again, it is impossible to deny the realities of the shrinking world, internationalization, outsourcing, offshoring and a global job market (versus a disintegrating and far less promising career path than ever in modern history in the U.S. and in other industrialized nations undergoing their share of economic, social and political challenges) where cultural sensitivity, multilingualism and training in international trade practices and basic ambassadorship skills are becoming increasingly important in both the short term (i.e., post-graduation job placement) and the longer-term (i.e., experienced internationalists and multiculturally adept executives are in growing demand, especially in Asia).
Education course offerings, degree requirements and curricula at the high school and university levels has taken on a decidedly multicultural, global direction. Internships prior to formalized placements have also gone international as it becomes increasingly apparent that world-travelers and those at the beginning of their careers who are receptive to globalization of industry, employment and society-at-large are the first-chosen for the best employment opportunities -- even in domestically-chartered or headquartered firms.
Students, schools and firms of all sizes and types are increasingly after the global edge. And this trend can certainly be expected to continue at an accelerating rate as acceptance grows and resistance becomes futile.
Douglas E. Castle for The Internationalist Page Blog and The Global Futurist Blog
