IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS PLANNING ON GOING TO THE US THIS SUMMER: DUE TO THE SEVERE DELAYS IN OBTAINING FACE TO FACE VISA APPOINTMENTS AT THE US EMBASSY IN LONDON AND THE US CONSULATE IN BELFAST, ANY APPLICATIONS RECEIVED NOW ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO RECEIVE THEIR VISAS UNTIL THE END OF JULY 2008. PLEASE BEAR THIS IN MIND WHEN PLANNING YOUR DATES!
The Professional Career Training Programme (PCT USA) allows people to go to the US for up to 18 months to gain further experience and training in their chosen field.
Our partner CIEE is the largest and longest running legal sponsor for this programme, and has been assisting people from all over the world on J1 programmes for over 60 years!
UK companies increasingly look for people who can show ìmore than just a degree, and international experience is one of the top things they look for!
The statistics show people who are able to show experience outside of their home country are more likely to get better jobs and higher salaries!
To qualify, you need at least a degree level qualification and ONE years experience in your home country (without a degree level qualification you must have at least 5 years experience).
To apply, you first need to secure a position with a US company - this might seem a bit daunting at first, but remember there are thousands of people who do it each year, and US organisations are often very willing to take on an international applicant.
Most people secure their placements independently before coming to us for the required sponsorship, but CIEE also have a great website full of useful information on the programme - including advice on how to apply to US companies, putting together a resume and cover letter etc.
Please see www.ciee.org/trainee/applicants for more information.
CIEE have a limited list of positions posted directly through their TRAINEE SELECT SERVICE. To view these, and instructions on how to apply please go to www.ciee.org/trainee/trainee_select
Username: trainee
Password: select
REMEMBER - THERE IS A SPECIFIC WAY OF APPLYING FOR THESE - PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE SITE!
Once you have got your placement, both you and your Host Company in the US will need to complete part of the application forms. You can download yours by going to the download section of this site.
The Host Company will need to get theirs (the DS7002 form) from CIEE's Host Company Section
Once you have both these completed, you can then send them together to us, and we'll start the process for you!
Download your application here
Go to the CIEE Website here
Go to the CIEE section for Host Company Training Proposals here
We have the answers to the most popular questions on our PCT USA FAQ page - alternatively please send us an email at info@istplus.com