The British Council and IAESTE UK are delighted to open the IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience) programme for 2019, which brings with it a brand new pool of high-calibre, skilled trainees from over 80 countries worldwide for STEM employers across Scotland to access.

Since 1948 IAESTE has been matching top, forward-thinking employers with the best science, engineering, technology and applied arts students from around the world for work experience. Our trainees are talented, motivated and can make a real difference to your business. Previous IAESTE trainees have worked on award winning projects, been credited in published academic research and been offered employment upon completion of their placement both in the UK and in their home countries.

IAESTE operates a year-round exchange which means that we can find the right person, with the right qualifications at the right time for an employer. The programme itself comprises over 1000 universities, private and public sector employers exchanging internships across an 85-country network aimed at internationalising future STEM leaders. In Scotland the programme is funded by the Scottish Government, and delivered by the British Council.

The reciprocal nature of the programme means that by providing a placement to an international trainee, not only are employers filling skills gaps within a specific project or team, but also providing a paid international internship for a student from Scotland. As an employer-led programme, all an organisation needs to do is identify a project and pay a stipend for the intern. We’ll take care of the rest; from providing the expertise in navigating necessary visa authorisation (as a Tier 5 sponsor) to supporting and arranging accommodation, through our fantastic Local Committees made up of IAESTE student alumni.

This summer, the IAESTE team in Scotland were thrilled to welcome a Mechanical Engineering student from Canada who was successful in securing an 11-week placement with BAE Systems Surface Ships Ltd. It was an exciting opportunity that operated across optimising project success on some of BAE Systems’ major naval ships. Through IAESTE, BAE Systems were able to select a student according to their specific requirements and criteria, such as specialisation, level of study, technical experience and nationality.

For more information on the IAESTE programme, please visit our website, where you can find a link to register your interest for the 2019 cycle.

Overview of the IAESTE process