Introduction to the Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone Internship Program:

As part of the effort to increase its positive impact on economic growth in the state of Georgia, the GFTZ aims to expand FTZ participation among companies doing business in Georgia. The GFTZ is seeking one intern for Fall Semester 2012 to contribute directly to this effort.  The intern will complete an in-depth research project to generate a list of 20 prospects for the GFTZ program.  A carefully researched prospect list will allow GFTZ to create a focused marketing effort that will reach the intended targets and eventually expand participation in the program.

Intern responsibilities include:

• Before beginning the project, the intern will undergo training and orientation (both supervised and independent) to become familiar with the Foreign-Trade Zone program.
• The intern will work with Project Director to obtain relevant data on national FTZ trends. He/she will then utilize the available data to discover which industries are top users of Foreign-Trade Zones.
• He/she will perform independent research to identify companies in these industries that are doing business in Georgia.
• The final product will be a list of 20 companies that are prospects for FTZ participation in Georgia. The intern will also submit a report explaining his choices.

About the Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone:

Georgia stands at the crossroads of the Americas with the world’s busiest passenger airport, two deepwater ports, and the most extensive surface transportation network in the country. In 2010, $28.7 billion in exports and $60.2 billion in imports passed through these ports, making us the 12th-largest export state and 9th-largest import state in the U.S. The Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone nurtures this environment by removing trade barriers and providing incentives for existing and prospective companies to establish or expand operations in Georgia. Specifically, the GFTZ establishes and maintains federally approved Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZs) in Georgia, enabling companies to save money on imported merchandise by diminishing import duties, as well as streamline formal customs entry procedures. The program serves to stimulate Georgia’s economic growth and development through the retention and creation of jobs and also helps expand the tax base.

The Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone offices are located in the Centergy One building at Technology Square.

Opportunity for Intern:

This is a valuable opportunity to gain insight into economic development in the state of Georgia as well as the federal Foreign-Trade Zone program. The intern will make a direct contribution to the GFTZ marketing strategy by performing research to identify prospects for the GFTZ program. The in-depth research project will allow the intern to learn about international trade and competitiveness as it pertains to companies doing business in the state of Georgia. Furthermore, each intern will receive an orientation and training materials that will help him/her become familiar with the national Foreign-Trade Zone program, as well as the Georgia FTZ and its participating companies.

This is a part-time (approximately 10 hours per week) internship that will begin in August 2012 and conclude in December 2012. The intern will be expected to work independently, but will have access to GFTZ office space and research materials. The intern will meet with the Project Director at least two times per month to review progress on the project. He/she will also submit (via email or in person) a weekly progress report, which will be based on a predefined set of deliverables for the project. Because the majority of the project will be completed off site, the intern will also be expected to keep track of his/her work hours. GFTZ will provide a stipend of $1500 for the semester, payable twice monthly.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will be a junior or senior with a 3.0 minimum GPA. In addition, he/she must be an independent and organized self-starter with excellent research and writing skills.  Preferred majors include Business, Economics, Public Policy, International Affairs, and International Logistics.

To apply, send resume and cover letter to: Rebecca Coppedge at rpope@georgiaftz.com. Position is open until filled.

Georgia Foreign-Trade Zone

75 5^th Street N.W., Suite 1000

Atlanta, Georgia 30308

www.georgiaftz.com