2022 World Bank Junior Professional Associate Program for Young Graduates – The World Bank’s Junior Professional Associate Program gives young professionals the opportunity to develop their careers by working with teams on development-focused projects in developing countries around the world. Applicants must be in one of four eligible fields: education, economics, finance and management, or law. In order to apply, candidates must complete their higher education, have at least 3 years of work experience and meet residency requirements in an eligible country prior to the deadline. The deadline to apply is September 20, 2022, and more information can be found here.
About the World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that offer loans, advice, and other assistance to developing countries. Founded in 1944 at a United Nations conference, today it has a staff of some 13,000 people working in nearly 160 countries around the world. It aims to fight poverty by funding large-scale projects that promote economic development and reduce global inequities. With headquarters in Washington DC and offices in over 100 nations, there are plenty of opportunities to work with highly skilled professionals on issues at home and abroad. The opportunities below are open to any nationality: they don’t require prior experience or a specific academic background.
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What is JPAs?
The World Bank JPA is an annual competition that attracts thousands of qualified applicants from around the world. Open to all graduates, undergraduates and PhD candidates, JPAs give you a chance to participate in a high-impact professional experience abroad. You will develop new skills and a global network of contacts by collaborating with leading experts in their fields at one of our partner universities around the world. Whether you want to enhance your resume, make valuable industry connections or learn how multinational institutions operate, participating in a JPA is a great way to kick-start your career or prepare for graduate school.
The JPA Training Program
The World Bank’s Global Management Development program was started in 1999 to provide high-potential junior professionals (graduates with less than four years of experience) with a two-year global management development experience. Every year, around 100 JPA trainees come from more than 50 countries and work in about 35 different departments in various countries all over the world. Our offices range from Nairobi to Kathmandu, Panama City to Lusaka, Washington DC to Moscow, Santiago to Riyadh. Most are non-U.S. citizens; it’s a great opportunity for those who want a more international exposure during their early careers but still want to get a foothold in a major international institution.
The JPA Role
The JPA program offers early-career professionals with at least three years of post-graduate work experience an opportunity to join a team that works directly with senior officials to address critical issues in development economics, finance, and infrastructure. The JPA program is a three-year (four-year total) program involving international assignments. The first year of each rotation is devoted primarily to familiarizing participants with country operations, while second and third year are used for exposure to new or broader areas of expertise within individual participants’ fields of interest or comparative advantage. Although most rotations start and end in Washington, D.C., each participant’s assignment placements will vary by country, sector focus area, project type and topic areas.
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Jobs for Candidates
The program has two types of jobs. First, there are Country Associates who work with a country or group of countries to provide research and technical assistance on development challenges. Second, there are Project Associates who work with an individual project as part of a team to support project design and implementation. Candidates will be hired in one of these roles. The most important requirement is that they have relevant experience working in a developing country or countries, preferably as a civil servant at the central government level. In both cases, it is preferred that candidates possess knowledge and experience in economic analysis, data analysis (most likely using Stata), policy making (also using Stata), sectoral studies related to agriculture or infrastructure, environmental sustainability, education, health and gender issues related to access and use of natural resources.
What You Should Know Before Applying to JPAs
The JPAs, or Junior Professional Associates, program is an integral part of how World Bank Group (WBG) works to recruit and retain talented young professionals. The junior professionals are recruited through a competitive two-stage process. In fact, about 1 in 4 eligible candidates advance to stage 2 of our selection process. Then, following successful completion of 12-month contracts at different WBG institutions, they return home to continue building their careers with a series of short contracts. Our work is complex and challenges us every day—are you up for it? Are you ready to make your mark on history? Apply online today!
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How do I apply?
To get started, you’ll need to search online and complete an application. After you’ve completed your application, you will be required to participate in a series of interviews before getting approval from The World Bank. Once that happens, your next step is going to take place during International Week in Washington D.C., where thousands of young professionals from around the world come together to compete for exciting positions like these! These are exactly what they sound like: real job opportunities at The World Bank designed specifically for professionals under 30 years old. Keep in mind, you must have a bachelor’s degree to apply; no prior work experience is necessary!