MUN for a Practicum

When I was taking up my course in International Studies, the Practicum or On-The-Job Training (OJT) that we had was Model United Nations (MUN). For those of you who might not know what MUN is, it a simulation of the United Nations conference organized by the UN itself, so that students can practice becoming state diplomats. Sounds awesome?
Well the glitter ends there. I really do not know why this should even be considered as an "OJT". I really cannot find any practicality in it.

Anyway, I will continue on.

After I graduated, whenever I applied to a company, the interviewer will always ask you about your OJT experience (like all other fresh graduates). Whenever I tell them about my practicum, I always see my interviewer suppressing a slight laughter. There was even one interviewer who did not know what MUN is and when I explained to him what it was, I just cannot forget the look on his face afterward. He smiled at me with his eyes full of pity and disbelief. I can still remember his reaction up to this day. I remember that the job I was applying for at that time was an admin assistant that deals with office type work.

The look on his face can be for the following reasons:

1. I am applying for a corporate job. My course was totally unrelated to business and my chances of getting into the corporate world is slim.

2. And then, my practicum was MUN. How is that going to help me in my job in the future should I end up working as a admin assistant? How pitiful.

3. The only job available to you might be for foreign affairs or government jobs. But how many openings are there for government jobs and how many people pass the Foreign Service Exam out of the multitude of IS graduates and takers out there.

Oh God, I can only say that MUN as a practicum is so totally far fetched from the reality out there. You are already being trained as a diplomat, when there is hardly even a job opening for a diplomat for fresh graduates. International Studies as a course is too idealistic, impractical and unrealistic. Granted, that a few of my college mates ended up working for an embassy. Most of them ended up working there for only months. But how stable of a job is that? How many embassies are actually offering regularization to new employees. In fact, how many embassies out there actually have job openings?

You know what the saddest part is? The saddest part is that MUN is held in the United States and that you have to pay for it just to participate in it. The school did not give any financial support to the students. All the expenses, from the airfare, to the hotel accomodation up to the fee for the conference itself are all shouldered by the students and their parents. Isn't OJT or Practicum supposed to earn you some money? In the end, the IS students ended up expending tons of money for a practicum that will not even be useful for their careers in the end. How sad... I want to cry.