Department Of External Affairs

Diplomatic, Consular And Administrative Service

Towards the end of the year the Department of External Affairs will appoint a group of diplomatic trainees.

Normally a high Honours degree is a prerequisite for entry, but undergraduates or graduates at the bachelor's level who are interested in a career in the diplomatic service are invited to make contact with the Department with a view to a preliminary interview and discussion of prospects. It may be possible for the Department to assist those who are considered likely to meet the required standard to study full-time to complete the final year of their degree.

The Department is looking for young men and women with the capacity eventually to assist in the formation of foreign policy, conduct international negotiations and represent New Zealand worthily overseas. High intellectual capacity and integrity are essential. Great importance is attached to the ability to analyse complex material rapidly and to write with precision and economy.

While study in such subjects as history, economics or law has been found especially relevant to the Department's work, other disciplines are by no means excluded; for instance, enquiry by students who have a flair for mathematics or science but who do not choose to become specialists in those fields would be particularly welcome. The Department's work touches upon many quite technical and highly interesting problems. In any case a degree is regarded not as a professional qualification but as an indication of intellectual ability and the capacity to acquire academic discipline.

After a period of training in the Department successful candidates will take up posts in New Zealand displomatic missions abroad, initially as Third Secretaries, Approximately half of their subsequent career is likely to be spent in New Zealand, half abroad.

At present New Zealand has diplomatic missions in London. Washington. New York, Ottawa. Paris, Tokyo. New Delhi, Bangkok. Singapore. Kuala Lumpur and Canberra. There are Consular posts in New York. San Francisco, and The Hague. Career officers of the Department serve abroad as Third. Second and First Secretaries. Counsellors, and Ambassadors or High Commissioners, as well as Vice-Consuls. Consuls and Consuls-General.

The Department is also considering appointing trainees who meet the general standards outlined above but who also have a special aptitude for languages and would be prepared to specialise in the study of certain languages such as Japanese, Hindi. Malay and Chinese. The understanding would be that they would, if they so desired. tend to become specialists in the language and civilization of the country concerned and pass a greater than normal part of their subsequent career in alternation between service in the Department and missions abroad where their special linguistic qualifications could be put to good use. The Department proposes to arrange for a candidate selected under this scheme to acquire the necessary specialist training abroad.

A third avenue of entry which may interest University graduates and undergraduates is the administrative and consular service of the Department. This field of work leads to postings abroad to any of New Zealand's diplomatic and consular missions listed above. Qualifications in law. economics or accountancy have been found to be specially useful. Graduates at the Honours level are sought, but persons with a lesser academic qualification will be considered.

Students interested should write to the Secretary. Department of External Affairs,Wellington.