Right now I would be thrilled to start a career overseas. A lot of PCVs extend their stay (you can serve up to 5 years) and a lot join the US Foreign Service afterwards. Outside of the public sector, it’s relatively easy to get hired by NGOs. I’ve also considered the option of doing some TESL stuff afterwards so I could spend some time in Asia. Short of that…who knows?
As for vocational skills, I doubt my primary assignment will lead to a career, but most PCVs have the freedom to embark on some projects of their own based on what they see the needs of their community being. The returned PCV network is pretty strong, as well. I’m also excited about the prospect of becoming fluent in French- it’s perhaps not the most useful language but it’s better than spending two years learning Azeri.
The way it works is you submit a lengthy application. Then you go in for an interview where they ask you a lot of personal questions. Then you receive your nomination. Your nomination is based on your experience, and for someone with a liberal arts degree they usually want three months of experience in the field- either volunteer or paid. I got my nomination based on working as a carpenter for a while.
I got my at my nomination at my interview and was given the choice between this or a health outreach program. Some people have to wait for their nominations and just get sent assignments.
As for the assignment, it’s not glamourous, but it’s important. If water and sanitation wasn’t an issue, they wouldn’t need half of the doctors. Water is one of the most direct ways to save lives and to help a community sustain itself. On a larger level, I believe it’s probably the biggest issue the developing world is facing- especially as water privatization efforts expand- and there will probably be lots of related NGO work for someone that knows a bit about it. On a practical level, I enjoy being outside and doing “hands on” project based work and would hate to be stuck in an office or schoolhouse or whatever somewhere. So I’m pretty happy with it, and I’m definitely excited about the region. And of course, there is always the possibility that any of this can change. Probably about half of people are actually assigned to the programs they were nominated for.
The assignment is two years, plus three months in-country training at the beginning. You get something like 52 days of vacation. The assignment can be extended one year in some cases.
I’m not sure about the workday. I think it is pretty flexible according to your assignment and from what I hear there is a fair amount of free time during which you are expected to work on your own community projects. I’ve heard some people say the assignment is more of a formality and the real work depends on what’s going on in your community. And remember, there really isn’t a lot to do but work. Not a lot of stuff to buy, not much of a night life, etc.
It’s not all that competitive if you are qualified- if you have a degree, some skilled work experience, are in good health, don’t have a lot of debt, and can display some maturity, you can get in. Probably their biggest concern is weeding out people who will leave early. They work really hard to gain trust in the community and this gets broken when a PCV everyone got close to and trusted takes off because she misses her boyfriend. They don’t want people who are running away with people. They don’t want people who have health concerns that put them in danger in areas where there is little medical care (though there are countries that can accommodate many health problems).
I wouldn’t really categorize the PC as a charity. One of the problems in the developing world is that they simply don’t have the training facilities that we have. There vast regions where nobody anywhere has any college degrees or business experience or anything. So the PC tries to send over skilled leaders who can hopefully get the ball rolling. It’s a branch of the government concerned with International development, not a soup kitchen.
The other less-spoken purpose of the PC is a vast public relations campaign for the US. When a Gambian villager thinks of the US, we want them to think of the smiling face of the local PCV and get a little warm feeling. The PC exists to place happy Americans who look like they are doing something useful throughout the world and to foster feelings of goodwill towards the US among various populations.
