What is the WTO Internship Program?
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international body that oversees and facilitates global trade. It’s the largest economic organization globally, with 164 member countries, accounting for over 98% of world trade and GDP.
The WTO is offering an internship program in 2024. Interns receive a daily allowance of CHF 60 (about $62), which totals up to around $1860 per month. The program aims to provide young graduates with valuable experience and skills to work at the WTO.
Who Can Apply?
The internship is open to postgraduate students from WTO member and observer countries. To be eligible, you need to:
- Be a national of a WTO member state or a country engaged in accession negotiations.
- Have completed your undergraduate studies in a relevant field.
- Have completed at least one year of your postgraduate studies.
- Be at least 21 years old and a maximum of 30 years old.
What’s the Internship About?
The program provides an opportunity for students to gain experience working at the WTO. Assignments are designed to enhance understanding of the WTO and trade policy, but there are also opportunities in areas like finance, HR, language services, IT, and communications. The type of work depends on the division to which you’re assigned.
Benefits of the Program
- Allowance: Interns receive CHF 60 per day (including weekends and official holidays).
- Insurance: Medical health insurance is mandatory in Switzerland. Interns need to organize their own insurance before starting.
- Travel: Travel expenses to and from Geneva are not covered by the WTO, and travel is not insured by the organization.
How to Apply
You can apply through the WTO external jobs platform. The system provides instructions for online applications. A roster of suitable candidates is maintained for a year, from which interns are selected. There’s no specific recruitment period, but specific vacancy notices for internships requiring special skills might be published on the WTO’s e-Recruitment website.
Apply Here: WTO Internship Application
Deadline: Unspecified
Here’s a list of the WTO member countries as of 2024:
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Eswatini
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea, Republic of
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lao PDR
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Viet Nam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe