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COLLEGE • March 5, 2002
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| UPEI
students return to the land of red soil Kirsten Ferguson klf762001@yahoo.com Two University of Prince Edward Island business administration students returned from a co-operative education work term in Ireland last month. Becky Rogers worked in Dublin as a risk analyst with Allied Irish Banks and said her time abroad was an excellent learning experience. "The benefits of international employment are personal," Rogers said in a Feb. 11 news release shortly after returning to the Island. "Working in an office, regardless of the geographic location, will offer similar employment experience." Her classmate, Mark O'Brian, worked as an assistant manager at Murlach Lodge in Connemara County, west of Dublin. UPEI established the co-op program in 1996 to give students the opportunity to gain program-related work experience before graduation. Prince Edward Island Business Development gave the program an international focus in 2000 when they initiated an international placement program. UPEI business co-op program director Don MacCormac visited with Rogers, OŐBrian and their employers when he visited Ireland as part of the Trade Team P.E.I. mission last October. MacCormac accompanied Premier Pat Binns, Egmont MP Joe McGuire and representatives from 10 other Island businesses on the trade mission to look for additional employment opportunities for his program. MacCormac said business leaders need an international perspective in todayŐs global economy and spending time abroad as part of a co-op program can help students gain this kind of perspective. "We are pleased that opportunities are becoming more available since international work experience benefits both the future businessperson and our province," he said. "ItŐs a win-win situation." Provincial development and technology minister said, "An international work experience can strengthen studentsŐ skills and create new perspectives. "The province sees great benefit in this, which is why we gladly supported UPEI in this initiative." |
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