Just as American companies are sending record numbers of employees overseas, more American students are spending a portion of their college years abroad. An 10 percent increase has been reported every year for the past five years.
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Stacie Berdan
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However, the 223,534 students reported in the 2007
Open Doors report, published annually by the Institute of International Education, probably understates the phenomenon. Evidence continues to mount that working and living abroad is a key differentiator in global competition, and students will benefit from this experiential education after graduation.
Multinational companies benefit from a global workforce. Consequently their demand for students with international experience continually increases. The academic system, undergraduate and graduate, must adapt to reflect a fast-paced transition from “nice to have” to “must have.” A New York Times article exposed the negative aspects of a few study abroad programs last September. The Cuomo investigation that uncovered the misdeeds continues, but it should not deter universities and colleges from expanding in this area. Quite the contrary.
Employers want to know a student can usefully bring international experiences to work. If it was a fun three months in Rome, an employer may not be impressed. A fresh, career-focused approach that delivers a winning international curriculum and a developmental experience will differentiate the school’s graduates who are competing for the best jobs.
If a student studied Spanish in Madrid, Arabic in Cairo, or Japanese in Osaka, while also learning to navigate the culture with a part-time job, tutoring at a local primary school, or serving as a docent at a local museum or historic site, employers will be impressed. In fact, students who immerse themselves and enjoy a rich cross-cultural experience often go to the top of a company’s competitive list of future international transfers. Such stints overseas have catapulted many a career.
I speak on this topic at U.S. campuses, and I am often impressed by the vitality and variety that is coursing through study abroad programs. Some campuses get it right. Some make the same old mistakes. Some balance just the right mix of progressive thinking with practical common sense. Others are off-the-mark, such as the college that requires students to find their own accommodations once they land. That’s overly intimidating, even to an intrepid traveler.
In this series, I am eager to share information about employers’ increasing needs for professionals who can succeed within and beyond the USA’s borders.
Stacie Nevadomski Berdan has spent years living and working abroad. She is a speaker and consultant and co-author of Get Ahead By Going Abroad: A Woman’s Guide to Fast-Track Career Success. Reach her at StacieNBerdan@aol.com or 203.228.4062.