Through an Intern’s Eyes - See how to apply for Internships

Through an Intern’s Eyes  (Reprinted from Tradeology, the ITA blog) tradegov | August 8, 2011 at 3:08 pm |

Carrie Bevis is an intern in the International Trade Administration’s Office of Public Affairs. She is a second-year student at the University of Virginia.


Initially, waking up at dawn every morning during my first summer vacation from college to metro across the city for an unpaid job hardly sounded appealing. Though, I soon discovered that the excitement of being an ITA intern (and an occasional cup of coffee) were enough to make me jump out of bed every day to arrive early. As an intern in the Office of Public Affairs at ITA, I’ve been exposed to a myriad of experiences, faces, and assignments. Apart from a nifty name-badge and a soon-to-be framed photo of the departing Secretary Gary Locke and me, the ITA intern network gave me hands-on experience in the behind-the-scenes work, while I loaned an extra hand to the hard-working employees.

Commerce Secretary Locke with ITA OPA intern Carrie Bevis June 2011. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Commerce

I spent the first couple weeks of my internship taking on simple tasks for the friendly folks in my office. By the third week, my colleagues started to trust me enough to give me bigger and better assignments. I soon became engrossed in the work as I took on projects that allowed me to interview other offices, visit related agencies, and write blogs about my experiences - much like this one.

Despite being tucked away in an office all day, I’ve never felt more connected to world. The staff was always current in the world’s events and interacted with people from across the globe on a daily basis. David Lee, the volunteer leader of the ITA intern network, was responsible for exposing us interns to the fabulous personalities at work here. Thanks to the network, I’ve met the Deputy Under Secretary Michele O’ Neill and had chances to break away from my desk by volunteering at the gorgeous Ronald Reagan Building for trade events. From the other side of the world, to just across the hall, the interactions with ITA employees always left me with a sense of a greater mission that even my small efforts contributed to.

Most of all, my time spent here was enlightening. In macroeconomics class, we learn that voluntary trade helps both sides. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Working in the Office of Public Affairs, I’ve taken calls from reporters and constituents, sifted through months-worth of trade-related articles, listened to senior staff prep for testimony, and sat through FTA mark-ups on the Hill. On the world stage, you deal with egos the size of countries, literally. So naturally the work of ITA employees is fraught with battles that they intend to win for the U.S. But if anybody can tactfully navigate the issues that arise while effectively serving U.S. interests, I believe it is the ITA employees.
They’ve all shared their frank experiences with me. I’ve spoken with the Secretary upstairs and I’ve chatted with the commercial service officer in Montana. I interviewed trade specialists in theOffice of Textiles and Apparel and e-mailed with members of the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries. I’ve called the commercial service officers in Pennsylvania, received advice from the deputy under secretary, even traveled with other interns. Absolutely everyone I talked to was enthusiastic and devoted to the work they do for ITA and gave testimony to the rewarding nature of the job.

Fuzzy feelings aside, these people mean business and they’re after results that will benefit the American people. The Department of Commerce is on target to achieve President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI) to double U.S. exports by 2015. Murmurs of NEI practically echo down the hallways of the ITA headquarters as employees work to increase American exports by ensuring fair trade, increasing U.S. companies’ competitiveness, and helping companies navigate foreign markets. As ITA helps U.S. businesses tap the 95 percent of consumers outside our borders, they’re opening up new and better job opportunities for the 9 percent of unemployed Americans at home.

If you’re interested in the incredible opportunity that I had, you can apply to intern at the Department of Commerce by visiting http://www.commerce.gov/node/12814 . I’m proof that you don’t have to have connections to land a government internship. All you need is enthusiasm, persistence, and a will to help the American people.  Working from within the office of Public Affairs, I feel like I’ve seen it all first-hand. My eyes have grown wide in surprise at the happening on the Hill, narrowed as I combed through a world’s worth of articles, and focused on whomever exciting new government figure I happened to meet.  But on my last day, I never expected them to get slightly bleary as I hugged my colleagues goodbye.

For previous blogs, you can subscribe directly at:    http://blog.trade.gov/

CBP Now Hiring CBP Officers, Border Patrol Agents for Southwest Border

CBP Now Hiring CBP Officers, Border Patrol Agents for Southwest Border        (Monday, August 01, 2011)



Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection is looking for hard-working, dedicated men and women to join its ranks on the frontline of protecting our homeland. CBP officers and Border Patrol agents carry out CBP’s dual mission to facilitate travel and trade while securing the nation from those that would do us harm like terrorists and terrorist weapons, criminals, and contraband.

CBP is currently hiring CBP officers to work at ports of entry and Border Patrol agents to work between the ports on the southwest border. These two diverse but congruent functions make up more than 40,000 of the close to 60,000 CBP employees.

The primary responsibility of a CBP officer is to protect the nation by detecting and preventing terrorist and their weapons from entering the U.S. while facilitating the orderly flow of legitimate trade and travelers. CBP officers perform the full range of inspection, passenger and cargo analysis, examination and law enforcement activities relating to revenue and trade, seizure of contraband, interdiction of agricultural pests and diseases and admissibility of persons at 331 ports of entry located at airports, sea ports and land borders.

The primary mission of Border Patrol agents is also to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States but do so, between official ports of entry. Agents are also responsible for detecting and preventing the smuggling and unlawful entry of undocumented aliens into the United States. To carry out their duties, Border Patrol agents conduct roving patrols, line-watch duties, transportation checks and other law enforcement activities.

Both the CBP officer position and the Border Patrol agent position are full-time, uniformed positions that require both regular qualification and carrying of a firearm and include paid training at either the CBP Field Operations Academy in Brunswick, Ga., for CBP officers, or the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, N.M. Applicants for either position must be a U.S. citizen and resident for the last three years, have a valid driver’s license and pass a medical examination, fitness tests, and drug test as well as a thorough background investigation with a high probability of being subject to a polygraph examination used to determine suitability for the position.

Applications must be filled out online and testing is available in various locations nationwide. Apply now for the ( CBP Officer ) position or the ( Border Patrol agent ) position. Additional information about the job opportunities is available on the CBP website. ( CBP Officer ) ( Border Patrol Agent )

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Announcing SBA’s NEI Export Video Contest

My U.S. Export Story – Finding Customers around the World
Announcing SBA’s NEI Export Video Contest

SBA is teaming up with Visa to ask small business owners: “Where will your next customer come from?” In order to recognize successful small exporters and increase awareness toward federal assistance for exporters, we’re sponsoring the SBA Export Video Contest. The contest, presented in partnership with the National Export Initiative and Export.gov, will award monetary prizes to five successful small business exporters representing a variety of industries.

American small businesses looking to expand are going global. There are a number of advantages to exporting: reaching new customers, increasing sales and profits, and becoming less dependent on domestic demand, to name several. In fact, over two-thirds of the world’s purchasing power is based outside the U.S., where the vast majority of consumers reside. The U.S. government stands ready to help your small business get started in exporting, with an array of programs, tools and resources.

We want to hear your exporting story in a short, original video submitted to YouTube. U.S. small businesses that have completed at least one successful exporting transaction are eligible.*

Winners will receive cash prizes, an expenses-paid trip to be honored at the National District Export Council Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 2-5, 2011, and $1,000 towards a Commerce Department Gold Key service, or various other trade-related events.

To Enter:
1) Create one original video 3 minutes or less in high-definition format. Contest participants must end their video with the following words: "That's my exporting story. Where will your next customer come from?", along with a referral towww.export.gov for assistance. This referral can be spoken, written, embedded or delivered in any appropriate way deemed effective by the submitter.

2) All videos must have a unique title or they will not be judged. i.e., not "My Export Story."

3) Upload your video to your own YouTube account. In the description, indicate one of the following 5 categories for your video: manufacturing; consumer products; professional services; technology; agribusiness.

4) While viewing the SBA Exporting Contest Video, click the comment box and then click on "Create a Video Response" and enter the URL of your video entry.

Videos may be uploaded starting Aug. 1, 2011. Entries must be received by Sept. 3.  

*See full contest rules and regulations at http://www.sba.gov/exportvideocontest . 
Additional resources for exporting:
SBA Guide to Exporting and Importing
SBA’s Export Business Planner Tool
Export.gov

Co-sponsorship Authorization #11-7080-11SBA

SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and service are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis.

Arab unrest, high food prices as a result of the Arab Spring

Creating a democracy is hard.  Perhaps harder now than it was when America cast off its totalitarian rule 250 years ago.  Today, most of us are not farmers capable of feeding ourselves and our families; today we rely on jobs to trade our skills for such sustenance.  If democracy is to continue to germinate, take root, and flourish in the Middle East, we must find ways to ensure that the people can sustain themselves through this transition.

The story below was one of our worst fears at the 11th Doha Forum.  How do we help the people with necessary food and water during the Arab Summer?

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CAIRO — From Syria to Libya and Egypt, the uprisings and unrest gripping the Arab world have cast a pall on the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month when the traditional focus on piety will likely be eclipsed by more unrest.

Food prices — part of the economic hardships that catalyzed the ouster of the Egyptian and Tunisian leaders — are still climbing. And protesters have shown little patience for conciliatory gestures by governments after decades of empty promises.
With momentum strong to drive out authoritarian regimes, there is no sign that opposition forces will ease up on protests — even with the difficulties of the month of dawn-to-dusk fasting that begins Monday.
Predictions of a tense Ramadan have already started to be realized.

Libyan rebels are turning their weapons on each other, dimming hopes for the overthrow of longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

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Exports Support U.S. Jobs

Exports Support U.S. Jobs

Joseph Flynn is the Director of the International Trade Administration’s Office of Competition and Economic Analysis

Did you know that 9.2 million jobs in the United States last year were tied directly to exports? The International Trade Administration this week issued a report, Projected Jobs Supported by Exports, 2009 and 2010, which updates an earlier ITA report Exports Support American Jobs. This report provides preliminary estimates for jobs supported by exports for 2009 and for the value of exports that support one job for 2009 and 2010. This report attempts to improve projections, provide transparency in making the projections, and provide revised estimates for 2009 and 2010. The revised estimates of jobs supported by exports are 8.7 million in 2009 and 9.2 million in 2010.

The value of exports that supports one job was $164,000 in 2009 and $181,000 for 2010. That is, the value fell slightly from 2008 to 2009 because of the recession and softness in export prices. In 2010, the value increased to $181,000 as export prices and productivity strengthened. Thus, for every billion dollars of exports, over 5,000 jobs are supported.

Not only do exports support millions of U.S. jobs, those jobs actually pay more than jobs in similar sectors unrelated to exports. Earlier work by the International Trade Administration gives an idea of how much more pay they receive. The report Weekly Earnings in Export-Intensive U.S. Services Industries estimates that workers in export-intensive services industries earn 15 to 20 percent more than comparable workers in other industries. Similarly, the report Do Jobs in Export Industries Still Pay More? And Why? estimates that exports contribute an additional 18 percent to workers’ earnings on average in the U.S. manufacturing sector.

The International Trade Administration publishes a variety of reports on international trade and economic issues.