The Placement

A central aspect of the Mountbatten programme is work placement and practical training. Participants are placed with one of our premier sponsor companies in the following sectors: Finance, Law, IT, Event Management, HR, Marketing and Communications.

Participants work full-time for their sponsor company for the full 12 months. Key skills are developed quickly in a demanding professional environment and applicants should be prepared to hit the ground running upon arrival in New York. The experience provides first-hand experience and training in international business practice, industry insight, exposure to senior management and connection to a global network of like-minded peers.

Sponsor Companies

Over half of our placements are provided through large multinational investment banks. Roles exist in areas such as asset management, securities, prime brokerage and client services. Opportunities outside of finance include placements with law firms, event management companies, charities and even design or post-production studios. While placements within creative industries are available, all roles are office-based and business related, and are designed to provide international exposure to each industry from a business perspective.

We work with over 65 Sponsor Companies in the New York area, selected for their commitment to inter-cultural exchange, diversity of operations and experiential education. Our companies are eager to take on talented professionals for practical training roles in March and August of each year.

Some of our leading sponsor companies include:

• UBS
• Deutsche Bank
• Citi
• Thomson Reuters
• Institutional Investor
• US Trust / Bank of NY Mellon
• JP Morgan Chase
• Thompson Wigdor Gilly
• Royal Bank of Scotland

Professional Development

In the often demanding and fast-paced working environment of New York City, Mountbatten trainees are rewarded with daily professional challenges, allowing them to develop transferable skills and the international experience critical to success in the job market upon returning home.

Employers and recruitment consultancies praise Mountbatten alumni for their high-caliber skills and professional maturity. Indeed, participants leave New York upon successful completion of their programmes as highly marketable individuals with a wealth of experience to bring to any interview.

Typical roles include:

• HR Coordinator
• Marketing Intern
• Paralegal Assistant
• Client Services Representative
• Conference Coordinator
• Junior Project Manager
• Financial Analyst

Location

All positions are located within Metropolitan New York: Manhattan (Wall Street, Times Square, Park Avenue, etc.); New Jersey, near a collection of Mountbatten apartments; and some involve a longer daily commute, such as our positions at UBS and RBS global headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

Securing a Placement

During the interview with the Mountbatten admissions staff in London, applicants are provided an opportunity to discuss placement preferences and what industries and roles are of most interest.

We take into consideration the applicant's education, work experience and personal experience and use this information to match placements offered in the specific intake's placement cycle.

Candidates are encouraged to be flexible and open to a range of opportunities. It is much more difficult to place a candidate who is only interested in an event management role within a charity than someone who is open to event management in any industry and is also willing to consider opportunities in HR and marketing.

The matching process, often referred to as 'The Placement Process', begins 8 weeks prior to the respective fly date. During this period, the candidate's profile pack (comprising the CV, personal statement, photo and a profile that we write about the applicant) is disseminated to all relevant and appropriate sponsor companies for review.

If a sponsor company manager decides they would like to speak with a candidate, we organize a phone interview. After the phone interview, a sponsor company may decide to offer the training placement. If the candidate accepts, we move to the final stage of the process which involves applying for the candidate's J1 visa and booking the flight. If the candidate is not offered the practical training role, the profile pack is returned and sent on to the next relevant and appropriate company.

This process continues until all placements are completed, which is normally 1 or 2 weeks before the fly date. At the end of the placement cycle, those who are not placed (typically 5 - 10%, depending on the intake) are given the choice of deferring to the next intake or getting a refund of their initial deposit and withdrawing from the Programme. (Please note: Initial deposits are refunded only to those who have not unreasonably turned down a placement or an interview - see Financial Information.)