Fifty five students from across Northern Ireland will soon be jetting off to study business at colleges in the USA.
The students have been selected to take part in the British Council’s prestigious Study USA programme and recently received last minute advice and information at a pre-departure meeting in Belfast, before preparing to spend a year stateside.
The one-year scholarship programme enables students to study business and management for a year in American colleges, across 34 States, where they gain valuable international experience and business knowledge, helping to develop their career prospects when they return to Northern Ireland.
The British Council, which is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations, manages Study USA on behalf of the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL).
Since its formation in 1994, it has sent over 1800 students from Northern Ireland to all four corners of the United States where they have successfully completed a year studying business at one of 140 institutions. Last year the programme celebrated its 20th anniversary at Titanic Belfast, with graduates, alumni and employers all gathering to mark its success.
Speaking about the programme, David Alderdice, Director British Council Northern Ireland, said: “Study USA is a great way for local students to boost their core employability skills and gain invaluable experience working in an international setting.
“While in the US, the students will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in their field and their future employability will be enhanced through internships, Ambassadorial presentations, and volunteer work in a really international context. Most importantly, our students will build links with counterparts in the United States that will last a lifetime.
“We know that this year’s students will be great ambassadors for Northern Ireland and I wish them every success in the year ahead.”
Study USA is just one of many international opportunities available through British Council Northern Ireland. For more information visit http://nireland.britishcouncil.org, email opportunity@britishcouncil.org or follow on Twitter BCouncil_NI