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Hit new career heights in the USA

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Fast track your career

Trainee USA

Live and work in America for up to 20 months on our professional trainee program – without the need for a college degree.

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On the fence? 

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Missed out on USIT Grad USA? Talk to us about Trainee USA.

Only in America

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Why do Trainee USA?

If you have a degree and have started your grad job – but want to accelerate your training. Or if you don’t have a degree and are established in your professional field – but feel like you’ve got as far as you can in Ireland. Then it’s time to take it up a level. Doing a professional traineeship in the USA will put your experience head and shoulders above the rest. You’ll grow your skillset, learn from leaders in your industry, and get world-class experience that can see you move straight into senior leadership roles when you return home.

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Why do it with USIT

USA sponsorship

Sponsorship to live and work anywhere in the USA for up to 18 months - with 30 days either side to travel.

Visa experts

1-on-1 support applying for your trainee visa and prepping for your US Embassy interview.

Placement guidance

CV review and training plan support to make sure you get the most out of your time working in America.

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No age limit

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Graduates and non-graduates

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Work for 1-18 months

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30 days either side to travel

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Excel in your profession

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Ideal if missed out on Grad USA

From €1,849

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What we love

Being able to live and work in the USA for an extended period without a college degree.

Need to know

Trainee USA | From €1,849

USIT Trainee USA is aimed at helping recent grads and current professionals fast track their career with professional traineeships in America.

The Trainee USA program is designed for graduates with one year’s work experience or non-graduates with five years’ work experience in their professional field to up-skill in America. You can work for up to 18 months, anywhere in the States and in most industries from fashion to finance – with previous participants working as Marketing Managers, Civil Engineering Managers and more.

Once you have your position secured, the USIT team take it from there – checking your placement meets the visa criteria, vetting your host company (if required), and starting the process of sponsoring you. When you’re in the States, your visa sponsor IENA (part of the USIT travel family) supports you 24/7 – with regular check-ins to make sure your training is on track.

You must be 20+ and be able to fulfil one of the below criteria:

If you don’t have a degree

You must have five years’ full-time experience in your professional field. You don’t need to have worked for the same employer, but it must have been in the same industry and have been within the last seven years. Unsure if your experience makes you eligible? Email your CV to workusa@usit.ie.

If you have a degree

  • You must have done a full-time academic course in a recognised Irish university or college. If you’ve completed a Level 6 Major Award, then at least 50% of coursework must be academic. Unfortunately, online, lifelong, special purpose or distance learning courses are not permitted on this visa.
  • Plus, you must have one year’s full-time work experience or two years’ part time work experience. There must be a clear link between your academic qualifications, work experience and training position.

Age requirements

There is no age limit for this program – so you could be a graduate with a couple of years work under your belt or have worked a decade or more in your field and be at the top of your game.

When to apply

You can apply at any time of the year. Applications usually take around 12 weeks once you’ve secured your trainee position.

If you did our 1-year Grad USA program after graduating and want to return to the USA on the Trainee USA program, you must wait two years before applying.

What is a training position?

A training position is any position that shows you are up-skilling and developing in your field while receiving supervision. This is not regular employment, and you cannot be filling a labour need or taking a job away from an American worker. Your training position should show a clear progression of skills and rotation throughout your time at your host company.

Duration and salary

Depending on the length of your internship, you’ll be issued with a 1-18 month visa with 30 days before and after. The USA has a well-paid traineeship culture, with most US traineeships equalling or exceeding Irish salaries. Your salary will be negotiated directly with your host company and there is no cap to what you can earn on this visa.

Finding your trainee position

It’s your responsibility to secure your own traineeship, and most professionals on this program have a clear idea of the organisations they want to target. Our team can help by reviewing your CV and directing you towards companies where past participants have found a placement based on their similar experience and/or qualifications.

Approving your traineeship

Your traineeship will be assessed and approved by our US sponsor to make sure it meets US visa and labour criteria. Our team will advise all about this and what your training plan (known as DS7002) must include. Your US sponsor may also need to include a site visit to your US employer. Check out our FAQs for more.

What industries can I work in on this visa?

Popular industries for Irish professionals to continue their training in the USA are construction, events, engineering, tech, law, finance, science, architecture, media, marketing and fashion – but you can work in most fields as long as it is related to your professional field. Since COVID-19, there has been restrictions on training within the hospitality industry. If you work in hospitality, please contact the team to talk through your experience and go over your options.

There are some roles within certain industries such as agriculture, teaching and medicine that aren’t permitted, but our USIT USA team will be able to guide you on this. For more on restricted industries and positions, check out our FAQs

Where can I do my traineeship?

Popular destinations for Irish graduates and professionals to do their career training in are New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego – but you can find a placement anywhere in the States.

Our Ireland-based team will support you through the entire process, from help filling in your forms to preparing for your embassy interview.

1. Secure your position

Check you’re eligible in the tab above, start your online application and pay your deposit. If you don’t already have a traineeship, talk to the team about where past participants with your experience have found a placement.

2. Book a call

Once you have a position secured, you’ll have an in-depth call with our USA team to run through the program, answer any questions, get you set up on the sponsor’s system and conduct a phone interview (this is a visa requirement).

3. Assessment by IENA

Your employer will need to fill out your DS7002 Training Plan which will then go to IENA (our sibling company and your visa sponsor in the US) for approval. If your application is approved, your work papers will be issued within 15 business days – or 21 business days if a site visit to your employer’s workplace is required.

4. Pre-departure pack

Once your application is approved, we’ll email your DS2019 work papers, SEVIS receipt and DS7002 Training Plan. You’ll then receive your pre-departure pack by email with all the information you need to schedule your US Embassy appointment.

5. US Embassy interview

This is an in-person appointment at the US Embassy in Dublin. Please note, they will keep your passport for 5-7+ days.

6. Land in the USA

Before you go, you’ll complete an online orientation with IENA to make sure you’re perfectly prepped for life in the USA. IENA are on hand 24/7 to support you during your stay.

What’s included

Everything you need to apply for your visa and get the sponsorship to live and work in America for 1-20 months.

  • 0-12 months' visa sponsorship to work in America
  • 30 day visa grace period either side of your placement to travel in the US
  • Guidance on your Training Plan (DS7002) to help ensure your sponsorship is successful
  • Issuing and shipping of your Certificate of Eligibility (DS2019) to work in America
  • 1-on-1 support applying for your visa and prepping for your US Embassy interview
  • SEVIS – a mandatory US government tracking fee worth USD $220
  • 24/7 support from IENA (our sibling brand and visa sponsor) when you're on US soil
  • Online orientation to get all the information on living and working in the USA

  • 13-20 months' visa sponsorship to work in America
  • 30 day visa grace period either side of your placement to travel in the US
  • Guidance on your Training Plan (DS7002) to help ensure your sponsorship is successful
  • Issuing and shipping of your Certificate of Eligibility (DS2019) to work in America
  • 1-on-1 support applying for your visa and prepping for your US Embassy interview
  • SEVIS – a mandatory US government tracking fee worth USD $220
  • 24/7 support from IENA (our sibling brand and visa sponsor) when you're on US soil
  • Online orientation to get all the information on living and working in the USA

Book now pay later

• Deposit of €150 due at the time of application • Second payment of €350 before we apply for your sponsorship paperwork • Full balance due 12 weeks before departure

What’s not included

US visa fee Irish passport holders

This is paid directly to the US Embassy and currently costs USD $185.

Site visit

A fee of USD $300 will be added to your program fee if a site visit to your prospective employer's workplace is required.

Travel insurance

Talk to the USIT team about specialist travel insurance providers who cover our work and travel programs

Flights

We don’t recommend booking flights until your visa is approved.

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Travel like a pro

A homerun for your career

Past Trainee USA participants have done training positions at Pinterest, Kerry Group and Hack Media – returning to Ireland with the exposure, networking opportunities and progression they need to excel in their fields.

Ask the experts

Wondering which USA program is best for you?

Everything is bigger in America – including the professional training options! USIT has three options to train in the USA – Internship USA, Grad USA and Trainee USA. Book a call with the team and we’ll work out which is best for you.

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