The ICEX Business Internationalisation Scholarships are the benchmark in our country for young professionals with a vocation for foreign trade and internationalisation. Promoted by ICEX Spain Export and Investment, they were created in 1975 and this year they are celebrating their 48th Promotion.
For Psicotec, this anniversary is doubly important, since this 48th edition is also the tenth consecutive year that ICEX trusts Psicotec to develop the selection process for the scholarships.
What does the ICEX Scholarship Program consist of?
The ICEX Scholarship Programme lasts for three years, during which the selected candidates will complete their training in three phases:
- Phase 0: Completion of a university master’s degree in International Business Management of 75 ECTS credits. It allows all students to achieve the necessary training to carry out their professional career in the future in the field of internationalisation and foreign trade.
- Phase 1: 12-month internship in one of the Economic and Commercial Offices of Spain abroad. At this stage, it is possible to know first-hand what the commercial reality of the market in question is like and the detection of commercial opportunities for Spanish companies in that market is deepened.
- Phase 2: 12-month internships in companies, entities and international organisations, either in Spain or abroad. It is a further step towards the integration of young talents into the labour market.
Thanks to these three phases, quality training is obtained that not only allows the professional development of its participants, but also results in an improvement of the Spanish foreign sector and an increase in the competitiveness of the Spanish economy.
What are the phases of the selection process for the ICEX – Psicotec Scholarship Programme?
Due to its importance and quality, this program arouses great interest year after year. Beyond the massive nature of the process, in order to ensure the transparency and quality of the selection process, a selection process has been designed that takes into account three aspects:
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Administrative: Through the collection and review of various documentation. It is complemented by a resolution of queries and doubts throughout the process.
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Idiomatic: Provision of qualifications accrediting the level of English, necessary to function effectively in international environments.
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Competence: Battery of psychometric tests and personal interviews with a focus on the contrast of competences, motivation and certain critical incidents.
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Data on the 48th ICEX Scholarship Promotion
On this occasion, 899 candidates were presented, of which 836 were admitted to the selection process and summoned to the psychotechnical tests.
Once corrected, 496 people have been summoned to personal interviews. Of these, the 300 best scores will be called to participate in Phase 0 of the ICEX Scholarship Programme, the Master’s Degree in International Business Management.
What challenges does this mass selection process entail?
Any mass selection process faces two major obstacles: the large number of candidates, documents and information to be processed and the need for organization, development and resolution in the most agile way possible.
To be able to solve this type of process effectively, it is necessary to have effective information management systems and, more importantly, good prior planning of each of the milestones and critical moments for which you must prepare in advance.
In addition, in the specific case of the ICEX Scholarship Programme, geographical dispersion is added. If years ago the tests and interviews were carried out in person, for a couple of years the different phases of the process have been carried out remotely.
This decision implies the need to have better identity control systems, video interviews, proctoring and supervision to ensure equal conditions among participants, detect any bad practices and maintain high standards of quality and transparency.
What does it mean for the scholarship holders?
Those participants who finally access the Scholarship Programme will have the opportunity to train and boost their professional careers in the field of internationalisation and foreign trade. Together with the University Master’s Degree and the internships in the network of Economic and Commercial Offices of Spain Abroad, Phase 2 opens the door for scholarship holders to the labour market thanks to 12 months of internships in entities, organisations or companies.
These profiles, with several languages, international experience, high potential, ambition and adaptability, are among the most demanded.
Does your company want to boost international activity? Don’t miss the opportunity to incorporate ICEX interns into your organisation. These young professionals can become the onboarding you need to take your business to the next level.
Does your organization need to carry out a selection process that it does not want or can assume internally? Whether it is a one-off selection, a Direct Search or Headhunting or a massive selection process, from the Search & Selection Area of Psicotec we have the solution you need.
At Psicotec we have been solving all kinds of selection processes since 1985 with one objective: to guarantee the satisfaction of our clients by ensuring the perfect match in person, position and organization.