The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Traineeship @Geneva
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is establishing a partnership in an international traineeship opportunity for HKUST students at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The trainee will be working full time at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, reporting to the Heads of unit of REM_PROSPECT and REM_ASIA at the Resource Mobilization Division. S/he will support the work of both units with the focus to establish relations with new government and private donors. See attached Annex 1 for detailed job description.
| Stipend: | Trainee will receive a yearly stipend of CHF39,000, payable on a monthly basis (CHF 3,000/month X 13), supported through the HKUST Connect Student Civic Fellowship Program |
|---|---|
| Annual Leave: | Trainee is entitled to 20 working days |
| Accommodation: | Trainee has to prepare for her/his own accommodation in Geneva |
| Insurance: | Trainee might be required to purchase his/her own travel and medical insurance |
About ICRC
Established in 1863, the ICRC operates worldwide, helping people affected by conflict and armed violence and promoting the laws that protect victims of war. An independent and neutral organization, its mandate stems essentially from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The organization, awarded for 3 times for the Nobel Peace Prize, are based in Geneva, Switzerland, and employ some 16,000 people in more than 80 countries. The ICRC is funded mainly by voluntary donations from governments and from national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
Understand more about ICRC from the following videos:
Additional Requirements via the HKUST Connect Student Civic Fellowship
Since the traineeship is supported through the HKUST Connect Student Civic Fellowship, s/he is required to fulfil the requirements in the Student Civic Fellowship Program, including but not limited to, completing the student learning contract, committing and honoring the terms as listed in the Student Civic Fellow Undertaking.
The trainee is required to honor the commitment of the traineeship for its entire duration. Failure to fulfil such requirement may result in disciplinary actions from HKUST and financial obligations to the HKUST Connect Student Civic Fellowship Program.
Eligibility
- Current HKUST undergraduate and postgraduate student in any disciplines who demonstrate maturity and an interest in humanitarian work and diplomacy affairs
- Trainee would need to take a one-year study leave from HKUST for academic year 2019-2020
- Student would not have graduated from their current academic enrollment at HKUST on/before June 2020 after taking one year off for the traineeship (i.e. eligible students are those who would still need to return to HKUST for academic studies for at least one semester before graduating)
- Fluent French is not required, but fluency in some Asian languages is highly desirable. Trainee would be highly recommended to take French classes while in Geneva.
Selection Process
Interested applicants should submit the following documents to apply for the traineeship.
- A cover letter stating your interest in applying for the traineeship
- Latest resume/CV
- Copy of academic transcript from HKUST
- Copy of your public examination results (e.g. HKDSE, IB, AP, GCE, etc)
- An essay (no more than 700 words) explaining why you would like to apply for this traineeship at ICRC, your interest in international humanitarian work, and how this experience fits into your overall career plan
- Reference letter from an academic faculty member (ideally from HKUST, but can also be from your exchange school) supporting your application
The above documents should be emailed to ruby@ust.hk in a single .pdf attachment no later than 7 January 2019 for consideration. Suitable applicants would be shortlisted for first-round interviews at HKUST in January 2019. (skype can be arranged if candidate is on exchange in January 2019) A follow-up/second round skype interview with ICRC would be arranged in February for further shortlisted candidates. Shortlisted candidates are encouraged to participate in a 'One-day Working for the ICRC Simulation Workshop' to be held on 23 February 2019. Results will be announced no later than March 2019.
Further Career Opportunities at ICRC
This traineeship does not lead to immediate further job opportunities at ICRC (i.e. return offer) and the trainee would need to go through the normal application process for applying future opportunities at ICRC. That said, this traineeship provides an invaluable opportunity for the trainee/student to learn more about this area of work which would greatly help in his/her application for further opportunities at ICRC.