Funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
In March 2006, the U.S. Department of State awarded Partners a grant to implement the American Business Fellows Program, an exchange program that targets the private sector and focuses on areas related to economic growth, business expansion, and job creation. The program offers a unique opportunity to professionals from the business sector to strengthen their technical skills, gain hands-on experience, and interact with peers throughout the Americas.
The program has two key goals:
· To promote greater understanding of issues related to international business and economic growth with Latin America and the Caribbean.
· To forge and strengthen long-term institutional linkages between the business sectors of the U.S. and Latin America through the exchange of technical resources and expertise.
Nature of Fellowships
Fellows are assigned to actual working positions at a host entity and are expected to engage in practical hands-on activities. They remain at the host entity for the duration of the fellowship. This program does not involve attending courses, training sessions, or participating in study tours visiting various institutions of interest. Fellowships last from one to three months.
Fellowship Areas
A representative list of the areas in which Fellows may work includes:
- Small/medium business development
- Business lending practices
- Trade expansion
- Reform of regulatory policies and practices
- Reinsertion of the unemployed into the labor force
- Marketing and distribution
- Quality control
- Commercial and labor law
- Business management
- Free trade areas of the Americas
Fellow Qualifications
Fellows are selected based on outstanding performance and the ability to play leadership roles in their organizations. Partners uses a competitive approach to select participants who meet the following criteria:
· Business sector employees from small/medium enterprises, professional organizations, chambers of commerce
· Professional qualifications that meet the technical requirements of the program and host entity.
· Professional-level language proficiency of the host country. (Candidates will be interviewed over the phone to assess their language ability
How to Apply
Applications are received on a rolling basis. Candidates and organizations interested in participating should contact the Program Director.
Funding
The program covers airfare, lodging, living allowance, and health insurance for the Fellow only. The Fellow’s organization in his/her country will cover the salary during the fellowship period.
Visa
Fellows will travel to the U.S. under the J-1 visa. Program staff in the Washington office will request the visa directly to the U.S. Embassy in Fellow’s country of origin.
U.S. Fellows traveling to Latin America may need a visa depending on the country. Program staff in the Washington office will contact the appropriate Embassy or consulate to facilitate the visa process.
