For those who dream of working in the Foreign Service or in international development, serving abroad with the Peace Corps may provide a launching pad for a career. According to Amanda Beck, press director for Peace Corps, a quarter of Foreign Service workers had been Corps volunteers. The most important requirement, she says, is having "the right passion."
For those with an international passion and a willingness to rough it, volunteering with the Peace Corps, the federal agency that places participants with aid projects in the developing world, could prove an attractive option
Service With A Smile
Ana Patricia Ferrey 03.27.08, 6:00 PM ET
Sometimes, not joining the workforce might be the best way to build up your résumé.
For those with an international passion and a willingness to rough it, volunteering with the Peace Corps, the federal agency that places participants with aid projects in the developing world, could prove an attractive option.
Unlike other sectors of the economy, the Peace Corps continues to enjoy strong growth. Each year the White House increases its funding, and its current budget is $333.5 million, a 4.3% increase from last year.
The number of volunteers is now at a 37-year high with 8,079 men and women working in 74 countries. About half of them are new volunteers annually.
This year the Corps expects to take on 3,279 new volunteers, over 100 more than last year.
But an expanding budget does not mean a luxurious life for those who sign up. The 27-month commitment--two years of service and three months of training in their host country--is not easy.
Volunteers are paid the same as their host country counterparts. For example, an agro-forestry volunteer in Togo has a living allowance of $8 a day, $2,700 a year. Housing, medical expenses and round-trip transportation are provided.
A small budget isn't a deterrent for the 12,000 applicants the Peace Corps receives each year. Originating from every state in the country and from varying academic backgrounds there is no cookie-cutter applicant.
At the end of September last year, the largest numbers of volunteers came--as you'd probably expect--from populous states: California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Wisconsin.
An undergraduate degree isn't a requirement, but 95% of volunteers have one. They come from schools as big as the University of Washington, which currently has 113 alumni volunteers, or as small as Oberlin College in Ohio, with 18 alumni serving overseas. As for their majors, it all depends on the needs of the host countries.
For those who dream of working in the Foreign Service or in international development, serving abroad with the Peace Corps may provide a launching pad for a career. According to Amanda Beck, press director for Peace Corps, a quarter of Foreign Service workers had been Corps volunteers.
The most important requirement, she says, is having "the right passion."
Reasons for signing up vary. Many take advantage of the opportunity to spend the years between college and grad school contributing to socially responsible projects abroad. For others the experience is their first step into a Foreign Service career.
Regardless of the reasons, volunteers leave with an interesting experience, probably no savings and the possibility of getting scholarships or reduced tuition for graduate studies.
Did you serve in the Peace Corps? What was your experience? How did it help you in your career development? Let us know by commenting below.
