Major drive to highlight graduate jobs with international institutions

Delegates at the event in Farmleigh to promote graduate opportunities in international organisations.

This week saw the launch of a major new Government initiative to enhance the attractiveness of careers with international organisations to Irish graduates. Entitled, Global Horizons; International Careers, this  initiative is led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade which aims to address third-level students by exploring the theme of ‘Representing Ireland Abroad: Opportunities for You’.

By partnering with the Public Appointments Service and the Department of the Taoiseach’s ‘EU Jobs’ initiative, Global Horizons aims to share the real-life experience of recent recruits and to provide real-time information on the internship and career opportunities within international organisations such as the European Union, the United Nations and the Council of Europe.

gradireland Director Mark Mitchell attended a symposium on the importance of creating awareness of the importance of maintaining and encouraging Irish involvement in international organisations such as the European Union, the United Nations, World Bank, Organisation for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and many more.

Speaking at a reception in Farmleigh House to mark the initiative, the Minister for European Affairs and Data Protection, Mr Dara Murphy TD, said that Irish people working as international civil servants with international institutions have “advanced our national values, brokering critical agreements, developing far-sighted policies and delivering progress in the areas we hold dearest-human rights, international security, disarmament and development.”

However, he added that “while our international commitment is stronger than ever, I’m concerned that it’s not fully reflected in the numbers of Irish graduates joining these institutions. This applies, above all, to the EU institutions.”

To emphasise this point, Catherine Day, former Secretary General of the European Commission was then invited to speak, in which she detailed the many opportunities for careers within international institutions, and why Irish personnel are well regarded and respected by their international colleagues. She went on to say that there have only been five Secretary General’s during the lifetime of the European Commission, and that two of them have been Irish, highlighting the successes which Irish people have had at the highest levels of these organisations.

The launch of the ‘Global Horizons, International Careers’ initiative, promoted via the Public Appointments Service, will be followed by renewed outreach to third level institutions with junior diplomats visiting campuses and careers fairs across Ireland.

For more information on opportunities for graduates with international organisations, visit here.

For more from gradireland on working abroad, visit here.