The North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO) is partnering with North Dakota State University to relaunch the Export Assistant Program, an opportunity for talented graduate students and North Dakota companies to collaborate for mutual benefit. The Export Assistant Program allows an export assistant, who is often an international graduate student, gain valuable real-world experience at a company doing international business. In turn, the company gains a skilled team member with relevant experience and language proficiency. The relaunch of the program includes a stronger partnership between NDTO and NDSU and active recruiting efforts based on companies’ needs.
Since 2006, the NDTO has identified, screened and placed graduate students within North Dakota businesses looking to expand their global business opportunities. A significant change within the program is that NDTO member companies may make a request for specific skills or language abilities of an export assistant and the NDSU graduate program will include those requests in their recruiting efforts abroad.
Student acceptance into the Export Assistant Program is contingent on meeting the needs of a North Dakota business. When a company and graduate student have found a good match, the student may work up to 20 hours per week during the school year and up to 40 hours per week when school is not in session. Students receive a tuition waiver and intern wages, with the company billed for the student’s time.
The program is win-win as both the student and company save money and North Dakota gains and retains talent that otherwise would not be here.
The Export Assistant program has been highly successful with students hailing from countries near and far lauded for their contributions to the North Dakota workforce.
NDTO and NDSU will fill sixteen positions this fall with export assistants. NDTO members interested in participating may submit a job profile, skills desired and languages preferred to Simon Wilson at simon@ndto.com.
Click here for more information about the Export Assistant Program.