Internships at GACCoM

The mission of German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest (GACCoM) is to promote, and assist in the expansion of bilateral trade and investment between Germany and the United States. GACCoM is located in downtown Chicago and offers two different traineeship programs:

J1-Traineeship for German students or graduates

• The minimum duration of the traineeship is nine months; however, longer traineeships of up to 18 months are prefered. Traineeships can start at any time, year-round, according to capacity. All traineeships offer the opportunity to gain work experience in a truly bilingual and bicultural environment, with support from colleagues that can help speed the learning curve of understanding intercultural differences and nuances.
• The main requirements include solid research skills, strong communication skills, self-motivation, proficiency in English and German, a great interest in working with an international team, and a high level of motivation to help GACCoM in accomplishing its mission.
• German students or graduates will need a J1-visa in order to intern in the United States. Once you have been accepted into a traineeship, we will provide you with information on how to apply for a J1-visa. All J1-Trainees also receive help to get settled into Chicago.

Traineeship for US students or graduates

• The minimum duration of this traineeship is six months; however, longer traineeships are preferred.
• The main requirements include solid research skills, strong communication skills, self-motivation, proficiency in English and German, a great interest in working with an international team, and a high level of motivation to help GACCoM accomplish its mission.
• Typically, traineeships are done either as a summer or semester hiatus from college, or upon completion of a degree program, in order to gain German-American business experience prior to entering the workforce. Most commonly, US traineeships are in our Consulting Services department, and provide a way for US trainees to gain first-hand business experience working with German companies in their US market development.

We are offering positions for traineeships in the following areas:

Member Services:

• The trainee will work with the Manager Member Services and gain valuable experience in event management, as well as marketing to new and current members. Major events where trainees are typically involved include political visits from Germany, planning our annual events like the Merlin Awards Gala, Wine Dinner, Economic Forum, CEO Speaker Series, Young Executive Committee events, and networking events. In addition, the trainee will be involved in staff meetings, member events, and general telephone inquiries.
• Candidates for this type of traineeship should have excellent organizational and project management skills, exceedingly high attention to detail, and an understanding of communications and PR. Prior experience in event management, public relations, graphic design are particularly helpful.

Consulting Services:

• The trainee will learn first-hand about bilateral trade between the US and Germany from the practical perspective of handling inquiries about the U.S. market, received from companies interested in expanding their transatlantic sales.
• In addition, the trainee will be involved in several projects, from support of German business delegations visiting the Midwest to the search for business partners for German companies in selected areas of business. Trainees often have the opportunity to manage the virtual office of one or more German companies in the US.
• Typically, the most common projects involve renewable energy, architecture and energy efficient building technologies, automation and machinery, automotive-related technologies, and medical devices, though a wide range of other technologies and industries are addressed on an ongoing basis such as nanotechnology, specialty chemicals and coatings, software, electronics and consumer products.
• For this traineeship, a strong technical aptitude is necessary. While technical or engineering experience is not expected, a trainee should have an interest in learning more about new technology and its applications. An aptitude for understanding sales channels and strategy for bringing products to market is also required.  
• Very strong English skills are an absolute requirement.

Christkindlmarket Chicago:

• The trainee will gain experience by helping organize one of the world’s largest holiday markets outside of Germany, and will primarily assist on event planning and coordination, with some event marketing.
• The trainee must be at least 21 years old to assist at the Market. Knowledge of the German language is NOT a requirement but would be helpful.
• The trainee will focus on pre-event planning and administration as well as sponsorship acquisition. In November and December, the trainee will help outside at the Market and at the on-site office handling customer relations, sales and vendor administration
• Duration for this traineeship is six month, from September to February
• For more information on the Christkindlmarket Chicago, please visit www.christkindlmarket.com.

Compensation:

The compensation for the first three months is 500 USD per month. After this period, the remuneration will be gradually increased.

Contact information:

To learn more about our traineeship opportunities and vacancies please contact Alexandra Kearns at kearns(at)gaccom.org.