The Student Room Group

Work Experience; Ambassadors, Diplomats, International Organisations

Hey!

I'm in my first year at university and I was wondering what internships and work experiences would be most relevant for someone who wants to work as an ambassador, diplomat or just generally in international organisations. Obviously, interning at an embassy or at the EU/UN would be best but these places only take people who have completed the second year at uni. Therefore I was wondering what I could do this summer that was most relevant to these kind of jobs.

Cheers!
Reply 1
Without contacts, I know of no decent place that takes first year interns. Internships are designed to get good people onto the grad programme, so they're only really applicable for penultimate-year students. With contacts, you might get some internship or decent work shadowing, and I know MP's offices often have placements, though these are often unpaid.
Yeah, contacts is the only way. I worked for an NGO last summer through it :yep:
www.work4mp.org sometimes has placements with MEPs etc
Reply 4
if you want to get into the whole ambassador thing, you'll want to have experience in the civil service so if you could get some experience there it'd be good.
Reply 5
appleblossom82
www.work4mp.org sometimes has placements with MEPs etc

www.w4mp.org, not work4mp.
Reply 6
You need a first university degree to apply to official internships in the European Commission and in many/most (important) UN organisations. You can get around it by doing 'inofficial' ones; you need a lot of effort, much luck or decent contacts, though.

Generally speaking, try to get experience and contacts by working for NGOs, political parties, politicians - basically anything related to the field.

A personal sidenote: There's one more reason to get this experience: to see, if that's what you'd really like to do. Working in this sector will frustrate you - even more, if you have a strong opinion about "what's right and wrong".

Edit: Not directly related to institutional experience, but helpful still: It's much easier to get placements/internships in lobbying organisations, confederations and so on.
Reply 7
The FCO runs a summer internship scheme, I'd suggest keeping an eye on their website.
dorian_gray
Hey!

I'm in my first year at university and I was wondering what internships and work experiences would be most relevant for someone who wants to work as an ambassador, diplomat or just generally in international organisations. Obviously, interning at an embassy or at the EU/UN would be best but these places only take people who have completed the second year at uni. Therefore I was wondering what I could do this summer that was most relevant to these kind of jobs.

Cheers!


do you have an organization in mind?

1st step would be to draw up a shortlist...

if its any help, PM after you've got a rough list (no need to be extensive) and hopefully I can pass you on some advice/website which may be of help.

I did an internship in West Africa last year as part of a Government Commission on Human Rights which was brilliant, however that was for 4 months so its doubtful since your at Uni you could do the same. Anyhow I hope I can help.
Reply 9
International experience is crucial from what I have seen of jobs in international organisations- and most jobs require 1-2 years of overseas experience. I would recommend looking at the VSO Youth for Development program which pays your expenses and sends you to work in a developing country for 1-2 years allowing you to get the interntional experience without having to pay big money.
Reply 10
Is there an advantage in having A-level qualifications in foreign languages when trying to get internships and placements or is just simply knowing the language through living there enough?