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What IAIP Interns Do and Where They Work
In general, what
type of work would I be doing as a participant of the IAIP?
FAS International Agricultural Interns are assigned a variety of tasks and responsibilities which generally are:
Carries out
responsible tasks in support of the Agricultural Counselor, Agricultural
Attaché, and/or Agricultural Trade Officer in connection with USDA’s
agricultural trade policy, analysis, and market development programs.
Compiles,
edits, formats, and transmits information required for the execution of USDA
programs.
Assists
in researching and drafting agricultural reports.
Solicits and
compiles in-country agricultural trade intelligence.
Travels as
necessary to complete assigned tasks.
For interns returning to campus, report on their internship activities, as appropriate.
Examples
of Intern Accomplishments:
Typical intern duties include writing reports on the opportunities and challenges for U.S. agricultural products in the country where interns are posted, researching and writing reports on trade policy issues, and/or organizing office events. Interns work in our Offices of Agricultural Affairs (OAAs) and our Agricultural Trade Offices (ATOs). Interns may assist in writing attaché reports, which are published on the FAS Web site, and articles that are published in the FAS Worldwide online magazine. Interns also participate in government and private sector meetings, respond to U.S. exporter questions and concerns, help organize trade or Congressional missions, proofread the local staff’s work and update Web sites, databases, and office publications. We recommend that applicants read through some of the work examples given below and consider carefully whether they have the basic skills needed to enjoy and excel at this type of work.
I summarized legislation on government support plans and translated Mexican newspaper articles relating to NAFTA and international trade at the AAO Mexico. My work included "Profile of Mexico's Agricultural Sector," an in-depth analysis piece on the impact of Mexico's domestic agricultural policies in recent years, which was cited in several publications in the United States and Mexico, trade policy development reports ("Finance & Economy Secretaries Scramble for Consensus," "NAFTA Update Edition," and "Government of Mexico Signs National Agreement on Agriculture"), and "NAFTA Winners & Losers," an internal paper for Ambassador Garza. All of these efforts allowed the U.S. government and industry to make better-informed policy decisions to counter Mexico’s desire to renegotiate NAFTA. — Jorge Sánchez, Ag Economist in the Processed Food Products Division, MBA, International Finance concentration, Carnegie Mellon, Tepper School of Business
Please read the reports I wrote while I was interning at the ATO Guangzhou: "Yide Lu Market: Dry Produce & Canned/Processed Foods," "South China Beer and Wine Report: A Window of Opportunity," and "Jiangnan Market: An Emerging Fresh Fruit Wholesale Market in South China." — Joshua Lagos, Ag Economist with the Organization Affairs Division (also a Summer Intern with FAS’ Summer Internship Program [SIP]), MA in International Affairs, concentration in International Economics and Politics from American University
I am enjoying my internship at the ATO Seoul thus far. I am learning a lot about how Koreans operate in a business setting. I have been researching and writing a product brief on condiments and salad dressings, which basically entails all of the information necessary for a U.S. exporter to decide whether or not bringing a product to Korea would be beneficial, and if so, how to do it. I have also been answering inquiries that our office receives from U.S. exporters asking questions about Korean markets. Not to mention proofreading annual market reports. I am not in the office all of the time. I have been attending food shows, policy briefings, meetings, etc. I have learned about the California rice industry, issues regarding U.S. oranges coming into Korea, and how imports of corn affect the local industry. Last Friday night, I went to the Southern Seafood Festival in Seoul. It was a celebration and promotion for the U.S. seafood industry. The food was great, and the entertainment was even better! — Kristen Rhodes, current IAIP intern in Seoul, Korea, M.S. candidate in International Studies in Trade & Development at Oklahoma State University
At the AAO Warsaw, I was afforded rewarding first-hand opportunities including: research and reporting on current commodity market issues ("Poland Product Brief: Seafood Products 2001," "Polish Sugar Conglomerate Created," and "Poland Annual Exporter Guide 2001"); assisting with the Presidential Bush delegation visit; note-taking at public meetings of the Polish Ministry of Agriculture; speech writing; attending technical agricultural conferences; and visiting the beautiful sites of Poland on weekends. — Jeff Zimmerman, International Economist in the International Trade Policy Area, MS Ag Econ, Purdue University, BS Applied Econ, University of Minnesota
To get a flavor of life in both the Foreign Service and Brussels, the heart of the European Union, interns at USEU Agricultural Affairs Office (AAO) are expected to write a key report and participate in our activities that keep us abreast of agriculturally related events in the EU. The reports are on hot and often controversial topics — such as the WTO Doha Round and trade with developing countries — the relationship between the EU and US ensures we'll never run out of issues! The reports generate widespread discussion and influence policy makers in the U.S. government and U.S. agricultural industry. We give interns all the support and supervision they need to develop writing and negotiating skills in a policy environment. — Norval Francis, Minister-Counselor, USEU AAO
About 10 of our 90 overseas offices request interns each semester, and the list is on the IAIP home page. Please note that offices may be added or subtracted from this list as events develop throughout the year. Office requests for interns depend on many considerations, including the workload of the office, the amount of time that American officers have to supervise an intern, the availability of space and equipment the office has for an intern and the timing of the projects that are suitable for interns. In addition, offices do not typically request interns when American officers are transferring in or out. If you are interested in working for an office that is not listed, you may contact the IAIP coordinator at internships@fas.usda.gov to find out why.
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Last modified: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 |