What does the Career Experience program have
to offer me?
The Career Israel program provides you with the opportunity to gain
professional work experience in Israel in a wide range of fields. This is an
opportunity to enrich your resume while experiencing a genuine encounter with
life in Israel. You will also benefit from personal enrichment through a
supplementary curriculum including a Hebrew study program (Ulpan), trips and
tours and seminars and lectures on subjects such as Israeli society today,
religion and the Jewish state, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Jewish identity in
modern Israel, trends in the Israeli job market and more.
What is an internship?
Internships provide an individual with a monitored or supervised work
experience where the individual has intentional learning goals and reflects
actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. These
learning goals can include: academic learning, career development, skill
development, and personal development.
When should I apply?
In order to find an internship that is most suited to your needs and in order
to allow sufficient time to determine your eligibility for a MASA scholarship
prior to your arrival, you should apply to the program at least three months
prior to the starting date of the program.
How do you apply?
To begin the application process you should fill out the
online application form and submit it with a copy of your resume in
English.
Notice of either acceptance or denial will be sent to you within 10 working
days. In the acceptance notice, accepted candidates will be asked make a
confirmation deposit of $200. Receipt of the confirmation deposit will initiate
the internship placement
process.
Before arriving in Israel you must send in
all other required documentation including your medical forms signed
and stamped by a physician. These forms are necessary for insurance purposes.
Who can join the program?
The program is open to English-speaking, Jewish, college or university
graduates ages 21-30.
Are there specific professions that the
program is intended for?
We are committed to making every attempt to find an internship for you in the
profession of your choice. On the application form you should detail your areas
of interest and list the types of organizations in which you would like to do
your internship. We will do our utmost to find you an internship that meets
your requests.
Can I choose the place to do my internship on
my own?
It is important to remember that many organizations that you may be interested
in have specific requirements for accepting interns. Many leading companies and
organizations are only willing to take interns with a high level of Hebrew and
therefore it is not always possible to accommodate requests for placements in
specific companies. It is also important to take into consideration that many
of the smaller companies and organizations are more flexible and give more
responsibility and challenging tasks to interns than the larger organizations.
Therefore the internships in the smaller organizations are often times more
successful.
If you have a personal connection with an Israeli company or organization where
you would like to do your internship, you are welcome to arrange your
internship independently. It is important to notify us of this arrangement so that we do not start working on your internship placement.
What kind of certificate do I get at the end
of the program?
Upon completing the program, you will receive a certificate from the Israel
Experience Ltd. citing your participation in the program as well as a letter of
recommendation from your internship workplace.
What is the difference between the
Professional Internship Program (Stagerim) and the Career Israel program? How
do I choose which program to participate in?
These are partner programs both run in partnership with the Jewish Agency for
Israel, and are basically two different tracks of the same program. The Career
Israel track is recognized by MASA as it is a 5-month minimum program, and
offers a rich supplementary educational program. Since it is recognized by
MASA, participants in the program are eligible for MASA grants and
scholarships. The program also offers accommodations in apartments in Tel Aviv,
Jerusalem, and Haifa and medical insurance. The program
is open only to college or university graduates.
The Professional Internship program track runs for a minimum of two months and
does not offer the supplementary educational programming required by Masa, and
therefore participants in the program are not eligible for a MASA grant or
scholarship. The program does not include housing (although highly subsidized
housing is sometimes available in selected locations) or medical insurance. The
program is open to participants who have completed at least one year of
college/university, not only to university graduates.
If you are a university/college graduate, and can stay in Israel for at least 5
months, then it is recommended that you join the Career Israel track so that
you can benefit from the MASA funding and the supplementary educational
programming.
If you are not a university/college graduate, and/or if you can not stay in
Israel for at least five months, then you should join the Professional
Internship track.
What language is the program conducted in?
The supplementary educational programming is conducted in English and therefore
you must have a high-level of English to participate. There is no Hebrew
language prerequisite; however Hebrew speaking candidates will have a wider
range of internship options.
Can the internship be in a language other
than English (Russian, for example)?
There is always the likelihood that you will find members of the staff at your
internship workplace who speak your mother tongue. We will do our best in order
to create optimal conditions for you, but we can not guarantee that the
internship will allow you to work only in a language other than English.
Who is responsible for the group in Israel?
The Israel Experience Ltd. is responsible for operation and implementation of
the program. There will be a counselor assigned to every group of 35
participants, to accompany the group during group activities and to assist the
participants in finding solutions to any problem that might arise during the
program.
What are the extra-curricular activities for
after working hours?
The program offers a fascinating supplementary educational curriculum including
a Hebrew study program (Ulpan), trips and tours and seminars and lectures on
subjects such as Israeli society today, religion and the Jewish state, the
Arab-Israeli conflict, Jewish identity in modern Israel, trends in the Israeli
job market and more.
What will my day look like?
As a large portion of the educational programming takes place during the
orientation, the daily schedule during the orientation will be very structured
and intense. However following the orientation program, you will be living on
your own and you will determine your work schedule in coordination with your
employer. Outside of work hours you are free to experience life as an Israeli
by shopping for groceries, visiting friends or enjoying near-by cafes or
restaurants. You will receive a schedule of seminars and trips that will take
place during the internship portion of the program which are an integral and
mandatory part of the program.
Do I have any required responsibilities
besides reporting for work at my internship?
Aside from your internship hours, participation in the supplementary
educational curriculum is compulsory.
How much does the program cost?
The program costs $5,300 (5,500 with the $200 deposit) for a 5-month session, prior to the MASA scholarship
Is the cost of airfare included in the price?
The cost of airfare is not included in the cost of the program. The airfare is
a separate expense that has to be financed independently.
How much spending money will I receive from
the program? How much money should I bring with me?
It is important that you bring sufficient funds to cover basic needs, such as
food, toiletries, travel etc. Most participants find that they spend between
$250-$500 a month, depending on the lifestyle that they lead. It is important
to remember that Israel is not an inexpensive country and to plan accordingly.
How can I get a scholarship to participate in
the program?
Career Israel is a recognized program of the Masa initiative, and therefore all
participants in the program are eligible to apply for Masa funding. Masa offers
grants and scholarships that vary according to criteria such as your country of
origin, your age, and the length of the program in which you are participating.
According to the Masa policy for the 2007-8 academic year, all Career Israel
participants will receive some funding from Masa.
Download an
application for Masa funding, or to read more about the Masa funding
policy for your country.
You can also view other scholarship options at:
http://www.masaisrael.org/Masa/English/MASA+Grants/Additional+scholarship+resources/
Will I receive a salary for my internship
work?
The internships are voluntary, and therefore you will not earn a salary
although you will benefit from professional enrichment.
It may seem counter-intuitive to pay to be an intern when you could be earning
a salary at home. However it is important to realize that if you were working
and earning a salary, a significant portion of that salary would go to cover
costs such as housing, food and insurance. In the Career Israel program, these
costs are covered for you. In addition, you are receiving placements services,
staff guidance, language instruction, and trips and tours that will make this a
positive and unforgettable experience for you.
What are the living arrangements?
In Tel Aviv we provide accommodations in apartments with two participants to a
room and four participants to an apartment. In Jerusalem there are 5 people to
an apartment, and each person has his or her own room. The apartments are
equipped with basic furnishings, kitchen utensils and other essentials. Bedding
and towels are not provided.
In which cities will participants be living?
We currently offer accommodations in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa only.
Can I arrange for independent
accommodations?
Yes. If you have independent accommodation arrangements we will give you a
refund for the portion of the program cost that covers accommodations.
If I don't get along with my roommates, will
I be able to move to another apartment?
In the course of preparations for your arrival in Israel, we will do our best
to provide you with the social and professional environment that best suits
your needs. In the event that in the course of your participation in the
program, a problem of any kind should arise, you will be able to consult with
the counselor and/or program coordinator who will assist you in resolving the
matter; however we can not guarantee that you will be able to move to another
apartment.
Can I drop-out of the program prior to its
conclusion?
No. Upon joining the program, you sign an affidavit whereby you make a
commitment to fulfill all the requirements of the program. From the time of
your arrival in Israel for the program, you are under the supervision and
exclusive responsibility of the Israel Experience, Ltd. and therefore, by
leaving the program prior to its conclusion, you would be violating the terms
of the program to which you made a commitment. Under these circumstances, you
would be required to reimburse the funds invested in your participation in the
program until that stage. In addition, if you leave the program before its
conclusion, you will lose your Masa funding and will be required to reimburse
the program for that funding.
If I don't like my internship workplace or I
don't fit in there, will I be able to transfer to another internship?
Prior to your arrival in Israel, we will do everything we can to ensure that
your internship workplace and the professional staff there are compatible with
your professional and personal skills. Nonetheless, should you be dissatisfied
with the internship, the specific circumstances will be examined and considered
in order to deal with the situation in the most appropriate manner.
How can I rent a cell phone?
There are many companies in Israel that offer inexpensive cellphone rentals to
tourists. Career Israel does not work with a specific company and you are free
to rent from any company that you choose.
Some leading companies are:
Where can I get more details?
For more details, we can be reached
by telephone at: 972-2-6216471
or
by e-mail: career@israelexperience.org.il
|
