How To: exchange programs for high school, au pair and internships (AYUSA)

Preparation for your career in the US If you are considering to be living and working in the US one day, one of the many demands you will have to meet will be certain skill level in a foreign language. Your school English may be sufficient for everyday life, but it may not be good enough for work life. In order to start a successful career in the US, you might want to consider brushing up your language skills. It might also make sense to acquire some intercultural experience by living abroad for a while.

There are a lot of ways to get to know the US and at the same time improve your English and gain some valuable experiences abroad. These include au pair jobs, language courses, language courses in combination with an internship at an American company, business courses and also career training - a professional internship as a student or after the completion of your job training / education. We would like to present you a few options right now.

Getting to know the US as an au pair The au pair program has been established decades ago. It sends young people to host families where they take care of the children. An au pair job includes tasks such as waking the children, taking them to school, preparing lunch for them, reading them stories, playing with them and helping with their homework. The au pairs are living with a host family, which means they will not only learn the language of their home country but also gain experience with the raising of children and intercultural relations. A number of advantages make the US one of the most popular destinations for au pairs. The US government has some very strict regulations for this program that are aimed at protecting the au pair. Working hours, free time and vacation time are strictly regulated, as well as advanced training for au pairs. The American host families not only pay the au pairs an allowance, but also two weeks of vacation, the flight, and $500 for attending classes at local colleges or universities. This way, the au pairs can take professional language and business classes without having to pay a lot.

Au pairs usually stay for one year, and that year is a valuable experience for a later career. However, you can also stay for a shorter period of time. Recently, organizations have started including summer jobs for au pairs in their offers that usually last from June to August or September. The ideal option for people who just want to briefly visit the US during the most beautiful time of year.

Language courses to brush up your language skills In case the US are your dream destination, it makes sense to brush up your English at language schools within the US, in order to learn the American accent right there from the native speakers. There's a wide selection of providers on the German market that offer an even wider selection of destinations (e.g. Chicago, San Francisco and San Diego). It isn't always easy to choose.

One of the decisive factors should always be the offered courses themselves. How many people will be in one class? Where are they from? Are they mostly from Germany? A well-balanced mix of nationalities is the key to success, because that way you will have to speak English even with the other participants. The provider should also be offering courses for every skill level. A class should not consist of more than 8-12 students so that the teacher can cater to the individual needs of each student. Last but not least, you should always ask where exactly the schools are located. Since you want to experience the "urban vibe," the school should be located downtown.

Preparation for the working world - business classes and language courses / internships In order to prepare you for the American job market, the school should offer special business classes and business certificates in order to prepare you for the American work environment. Business classes give the students an insight into intercultural communications, the US business environment and American executive positions. To round off this experience, you may do an internship at a US company where you can test your newly acquired language and professional skills. A business certificate program prepares the participant for later MBA studies within 15 weeks.

A language course, combined with either business essentials or an internship will prepare you to find your way in an American work environment. It is the best possible preparation for your own American dream and your international career.

Career Training - professional training for the future Going to the US as a trainee is a great option for people who are already advanced in their studies as well as for young professionals who have already completed their job training or education. Related to your specific field of expertise (i.e. the subject you are studying or your job) you can get to know the American work environment for 2-18 months. You will find opportunities for successful and challenging internships in the fields of information, media & communications, management & business, finance & accounting, marketing & advertising and public administration & law. In order to do career training in the US you will need a professional organization to act as legal sponsor. You may have to find the internship yourself, use your contacts or accept one of the positions the organization offers.

Conclusion There are many options for young people who wish to spend some time on the other side of the pond. Depending on your individual needs you may stay in the US for a short or a longer period of time and get the best possible preparation for the challenges of the future.

For further information, please refer to, for example: AYUSA International, http://www.ayusa.de, or call 0800- 8439390 (free of charge). AYUSA also organizes high school exchanges worldwide and, apart from language holidays, au pair programs and internships, also offers work & travel programs in the US.