Interning for the Mad Men of the U.S. Government

For the next five months, I will be interning at the U.S. Commercial Service's U.S. District Export Assistance Center in Phoenix, AZ learning about and participating in the promotion and expansion of economic development and international trade. The U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) is the lead federal agency responsible for the promotion and development of U.S. exports and represents the on the ground operations of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration's Global Markets efforts. USCS consists of a unique international network of Industry specific trade specialists in U.S. Export Assistance Centers  located in every major metropolitan area across the country as well as 165 commercial offices in 82 countries across the world. Day in and day out, our Phoenix office helps Arizona based small to medium sized companies develop quality jobs and expand their revenue streams from potential foreign markets by empowering them with an invaluable set of tools to enter the global market.

Our team consists of our Regional Director, Office Director, three Senior International Trade Specialist experts in a plethora of industry sectors, and three Assistant International Trade Specialist Interns. In 2013, over 7,934 companies exported from Arizona of those 87.5% were small-to-medium sized firms which supported 95,591 jobs in Arizona alone. To say that our office has it's work cut out for itself is an understatement. There is little room for error and much too get done which makes interning here all that more interesting and dynamic. (Click here for more AZ trade data)

My responsibilities in the office include:

• Providing support to Sr' Int'l Trade Specialists in reaching out to companies and colleagues abroad, conducting market research, promoting trade via communication outlets, and keeping current with international trade and policy development
• Take part in trade development meets with American and foreign government officials and executives
• Research and analyze commercial markets in Latin America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
• Research policy and regulatory issues involving global markets
• Promote various industry trade events
• Manage local and international databases
• Represent USCS with visiting foreign partners
• Provide assistance and represent USCS with the Arizona District Export Council.

I am currently focusing my efforts in the industries of Healthcare Technologies and Telecommunications and  hope to culminate the semester with a portfolio of successful trade partnerships under my belt and a comprehensive experience in the field of economic development.

To learn more about the U.S. Department of Commerce,the International Trade Administration, Global Markets, or U.S. Commercial Service click on the corresponding link.

If you have any questions for me, would like to tour our offices, or have any comments feel free to leave a comment below or reach me at jrmacia1@asu.edu or Josue.Macias@trade.gov.