JOBS IN IT FIELD - 6

I.Description: Paid internships for international students in the US. We offer internships in entertainment, marketing, public relations, journalism, fashion, accounting, business, hospitality and tourism, sports and recreation. New internship postings are emailed directly to members. Many employers also will provide housing and some meals. Candidates must meet job requirements of each individual employers.

Highlights:
* Entertainment Industry: Work on celebrity events, production shoots and general office duties. Work in casting offices in the Los Angeles area. Possibility of working on movie shoots or TV productions. Ongoing positions available. Hours/days negotiable.

* Public Relations: Learn how to write press releases and how to gain exposure for various products or clients. Assist with various office tasks as needed.

* Non Profit Organization: Academic Assistance/Tutorial. Touch the hearts and minds by protecting the innocence of our youth and developing their education. Hours/days negotiable.

* Non Profit Organization: Communication and Marketing, Fundraising, Youth Programs for a large worldwide organization. Hours/days negotiable

* Event Planning: Participate on non-profit and for profit events' committee to build successful and well-attended community events, which deepen the public's exposure to and unity with the mission of our company. As assistant to the Event Coordinator, the intern will learn the different components of creating a successful and dynamic event. The position also requires an ability to clearly understand the goals of the organization and articulate them while working to build the events. Hours/Days Negotiable

Accounting Assistants are needed to assist with general accounting functions such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, preparation and data entry, filing, photocopying, research information for accurate entry such as general ledger codes, purchase orders, etc. Basic computer skills are required to enter into MIP (training on this software will be provided) in addition to moderate experience in Excel. General understanding of bookkeeping or accounting principles preferred. Majority of activity will be deskwork. Hours/days negotiable.

* Journalism: Work for a city newspaper doing various tasks such as general office duties, research and interviewing. Possibility of news writing with byline. Hours/days negotiable.

* Entertainment Museum: We have a 33,000-square-foot museum dedicated to showing our visitors (who come from around the world) what goes on behind the camera. We have original sets from Cheers, Star Trek: the Next Generation, and The X Files, a prop room, a foley (sound effects) room, an editing room, and rotating exhibits that change every couple months ranging in subject from persecuted Armenian filmmaker Sergei Parajanov to 10 years of The Simpsons. Docents are incredibly important to us because large sections of the Museum are tour-only; we can't survive without them! Training takes only 3-4 sessions, and by becoming a docent you earn free admission for you and your family, a gift shop discount, invitations to exclusive events, education sessions with the curator, and more! Long-term preferred. Hours/days negotiable.

* Legal: A company dedicated to legal support services. Filing court documents and assisting attorneys. Must have good communication skills. Hours/days negotiable

* Import/Export &Wholesale: Learn the 'ins and outs' of importing and exporting goods into the USA. Positions available in downtown Los Angeles. Prefer someone who is articulate, computer oriented and willing to learn.

* Travel: Cruise Sales, and Vacation packages. See first hand how the travel industry works. Hours/days negotiable.

* Preschool/ Teacher Assistants: Work for a primary school helping out teachers. Learn classroom management, lesson plans building and standards of the classroom. Hours Monday-Friday, 9-3PM.

II.Kuwait allows plenty of foreign workers into its territory, but almost exclusively on a temporary basis.

Expatriates aren’t generally allowed to become part of the permanent population. Foreign workers are dealt with in a fair but controlled way, paid and treated well, and at the end of their time in the region, thanked and rewarded for their efforts. On the other hand, the government is conscious of the need to provide decent jobs with career paths for their own young people, who are increasingly educated and aware of the attractions of the outside world – many attend universities in the USA or UK. Having made major investments in education and social welfare, they hope that eventually Kuwait will become almost self-sufficient in terms of labour.

A majority of outside observers, however, believe that expatriates will have a substantial role to play for many years to come, and it seems likely that expatriates will continue to be important for the next two or three decades, although there will undoubtedly be changes in the number of people employed and the type of skills required. For example, the vast construction projects currently found throughout the region (e.g. road systems, airports, ports and trading zones) will become less numerous, with a resulting decline in the number of manual workers required. Commercial development, however, will lead to further building programmes as Kuwait’s economy continues to grow. Managerial, professional and particularly technological experience will still be in strong demand for many years to come. But there will be none of the mass immigration and resulting demands for citizenship that have been experienced in western societies, or the current trend of economic refugees looking for a better way of life. Kuwait will simply not allow it. Foreigners cannot become citizens or own land and property, although there appears to be some lessening of the restrictions, certainly as regards owning one’s own business.

There are other general issues to consider: you’re contemplating a move to a culture that’s almost certainly different to your own; will the way of life, and particularly the restrictions imposed on you, suit you? Will the relocation benefit your long-term career prospects? Will your family (especially any children) cope with and benefit from the move? What impact will it have on their education and employment prospects? If you aspire to be your own boss, as many people do, be aware that starting a business in the region can prove difficult and that you will almost always be required to have a local partner who has a majority holding. Is that acceptable to you?

The Middle East has been the scene of considerable conflict and unrest in recent decades, although the Gulf states are generally safe places to live and work. However, before travelling anywhere in the Middle East, it’s wise to obtain advice from your country’s foreign office. Note also that homosexuality is regarded as a criminal offence throughout the region.

You should ideally have a firm offer of employment before travelling to Kuwait. Speculative visits are occasionally successful, but you need to be notably lucky and have high-grade qualifications and experience to stand any chance. In addition, you will almost certainly need knowledgeable local contacts and have done some research into the types of company which would most value your experience.
Kuwait

Kuwait is the third-largest oil producer in the Middle East, after Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It has great wealth and is of tremendous strategic importance, as was shown by the world’s response to the Iraqi invasion of 1990/91. The Iraqi invasion had a significant impact on the Kuwaiti economy, both in terms of damage to the oil industry and exports and because of the cost of paying the military forces called in to eject the Iraqis. Kuwait and its people also lost a significant portion of their wealth through its unlawful ‘confiscation’ by the Iraqis. In spite of this, however, much of the country’s assets were safely invested overseas and the government in exile managed to retain control of these vital resources.

Since the war, the economy has gradually recovered, and recent oil price increases are allowing further expansion. (Kuwait’s financial assets were greatly, if momentarily, diminished by the decision to compensate its people for losses suffered as a result of the Iraqi conflict.) Foreign investment has increased, largely as a result of a decree of 1999, which approved the 100 per cent foreign ownership of certain companies registered in the country, a significant departure from the original ruling of a maximum equity holding of 49 per cent. These companies will be those that contribute to a more diverse economy and the provision of advanced technology and industry.

Oil production and associated downstream industries, including refining and petrochemicals, account for around 90 per cent of foreign earnings and nearly three quarters of Kuwait’s gross domestic product, which is estimated at around $30 billion annually. Kuwait has tremendous reserves of oil, with an estimated 90 billion barrels in the Burgan area alone. Oil production is estimated to be around 1.8 million barrels per day, with the majority of oil exports sent east. The Kuwait Petroleum Company (KPC) controls the country’s oil interests, including many overseas downstream assets, in addition to home production. Kuwait Petroleum International has several refineries in Europe and the Far East, and operates the thousands of Q8 petrol service stations in those regions.

The petrochemicals industry has recently diversified and produces polyethylene, polypropylene, fertilisers and other products for export to Kuwait’s neighbours and international markets. A free trade zone in the port of Al-Shuwaikh is expected to encourage further diversification of the overall economy and the development of trade with neighbouring countries and the Far East. Local and international investors in the industrial, service and commercial sectors are encouraged by the 100 per cent foreign ownership concession, with no corporate taxes or currency restrictions and the free movement of funds. New highways and the modern shipping port at Shuaiba add to the attraction of the zone.

Kuwait has a healthy financial and banking sector, with commercial banks owned by the government or by wealthy trading families. The National Bank of Kuwait is the main retail bank, with over 35 branches. Other banks, such as the Commercial Bank of Kuwait and The Credit and Savings Bank, also offer full service banking facilities. The Industrial Bank of Kuwait deals mainly with the funding of industrial, manufacturing and agricultural programmes. The Central Bank of Kuwait is responsible for regulating the financial industry as a whole. The Kuwait Stock Exchange was successfully reopened in 1992, after experiencing major problems following its initial formation in 1977 and the suspension of trading during the Iraqi conflict. Other significant financial institutions include (ARIG) the Arab Reinsurance Group, which deals with major insurance such as aviation and shipping.

Kuwait’s telecommunications network is state-of-the-art, well able to meet the demands of the rapidly developing economy. Agriculture and fishing, on the other hand, which are among the country’s traditional industries, contribute relatively little to the gross domestic product, and Kuwait relies heavily on food imports.

A downturn in oil prices in 1998/99 prompted the Kuwaiti government to to reduce the dependency on state subsidies by moving towards the privatisation of its consumer utilities, electricity, health etc. This process continues, with proposals to privatise the airline and telecommunications industries and to encourage foreign investment.

Kuwait is a significant member of the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council), enjoys vast resources and has largely overcome the serious problems experienced as a result of the Iraqi invasion. The repatriation of foreign workers at the start of that conflict allowed the authorities to adjust the volume and nationalities of foreign workers permitted to return when the conflict was over. (Workers from countries or groups of people whose sympathies were believed to lie with Iraq – notably Palestinians and Yemenis – weren’t allowed to return.) The expatriate work force is concentrated in oil-related activities and the service sector.