One common question our office receives from young people interested in our degrees is, “What can I do to help prepare myself for admission?”  There is of course not a single answer to this question.  When it comes to work experience, successful applicants to our programs come from all walks of life.  You could literally name almost any sector and I think we could find someone in our applicant pool with experience in the stated field.  Communications, education, finance, government, entertainment, engineering, medicine, dance, security, and this list could go on and on.

There are many unique programs as well that are avenues into the policy arena.  One specific example is the World Bank Junior Professional Associates Program (JPA).  The following comes from the JPA Web site:

Are you a recent graduate? Do you have passion for and commitment to helping others? Are you looking for a solid, two-year entry-level work experience in a multicultural environment? If so, you may be interested in the World Bank Group’s employment category: the Junior Professional Associates or JPA.

In your JPA assignment, you’ll use your strong quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, your knowledge of technology and the web, and your research abilities – working with more senior colleagues and project teams in their operational work. You’ll have an opportunity to hone your skills and acquire new ones while gaining first-hand exposure to the challenges of development and poverty alleviation. Your experience as a JPA can then be used as a stepping stone to a career in government, consulting, the private sector, or academia.

To find out more visit the JPA Web site.