International Organisations
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Entry points for graduates and young professionals |
Currently, an
increasing number of young people are seeking a career within an international
organisation, whereas there are a limited number of positions. In this section, you will find useful
information about the various entry points to a job market that is becoming increasingly
competitive.
Internships within an international organisation
If you are a
university student or a recent graduate, internships are about the first
experience you can realistically aspire to within an international
organisation. Undertaking an internship is a big investment in terms of time,
energy and financial resources. Therefore, you should be aware of certain
elements in order to get maximum value out of the experience.
Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program
The Junior Professional Officer (JPO) Program, also known as Associate Expert (AE) Program, is a donor funded program that provides young professionals from donor countries an opportunity to gain experience in an international organization.
The Swiss government finances several JPO positions per year. All those positions are regularly advertised in the online job database cinfoPoste, as well as on the official websites of those entities.
The Swiss government finances several JPO positions per year. All those positions are regularly advertised in the online job database cinfoPoste, as well as on the official websites of those entities.
Other programs for young professionals
Considering the
success and value of the JPO Program, other UN agencies have adopted the idea
and initiated similar Associate Expert Programs:
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
World Bank (WB): Junior Professional Associates Program (JPA)
African Development Bank (AfDB)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
World Bank (WB): Junior Professional Associates Program (JPA)
African Development Bank (AfDB)
The United Nations Volunteer Program
The UNV Program offers a broad range of volunteering opportunities for specialists, but also for young graduates and young professionals. cinfo is the focal agency for UNV in Switzerland. For more information please follow this link. [ More... ]
Four times more Swiss citizens working as UN Volunteers: a review of the collaboration between Switzerland and UNV | PDF-File, 111Ko
Four times more Swiss citizens working as UN Volunteers: a review of the collaboration between Switzerland and UNV | PDF-File, 111Ko
Further reading
Green, Marianne Ehlich (1997), «Internship Success: Real World, Step-by-Step Advice on Getting the Most Out of Internships». Chicago: VGM Career Horizons, 1997. Sutcliffe, Andrea J. First-Job Survival Guide. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
