Most employers agree that global skills and intercultural competencies are essential for job seekers in today’s labor market. In addition to studying an academic discipline, students need foreign language proficiency, out-of-country experience, and the ability to think across cultural and national borders. Such skills and experiences are best gained during study abroad or an international internship.
The statistics are too compelling to deny: “96 percent of employers “strongly” or “somewhat agree” that . . . students should ‘have experiences that teach them how to solve problems with people whose views are different from their own.’” “78 percent of employers “strongly” or “somewhat agree” that . . . students should ‘gain intercultural skills and an understanding of societies and countries outside the U.S,” and so on.