Gaining International Experience Through Job Exchanges

International experience is an excellent way to gain a new perspective about work, life, and your own country. However, it's not easy for county Extension agents to leave on a sabbatical. One way for agents to gain this overseas work experience while providing valuable service to home clients is to participate in a job exchange with an Extension worker from another country.

The same Extension skills that lead to success in this country-curiosity, careful observation, and concern for other people-are skills needed to work in other countries. In some cases, agents may be able to offer a fresh perspective on troublesome problems or to identify problems local people have overlooked.

Between October 1991 and January 1992, I exchanged jobs with an Extension officer in Victoria, Australia. On arriving, I visited with Park and Crown land managers, fish and wildlife agents, and planning officers, as well as Extension staff. By the end of the first month, I'd become quite familiar with many of the land management problems facing farmers. This allowed me to visit farmers on my own during the remainder of the time. My observations were summarized in a report shared with my Australian colleagues. I was also able to share information about the United States with individuals and groups of private landowners and public land managers.

Before going on a job exchange, it's important to let home clients know what's going to happen. Other key preparations I made included scheduling volunteer Master Gardeners to help answer the common gardening questions that regularly come into our office, and contacting agents from surrounding counties to introduce the Australian Extension agent to local land management issues and help him answer technical questions if necessary. I also developed a notebook for him with the names of key local people to visit and a calendar of events to attend. While the exchange officer was here, he gave more than 20 presentations about Australia to service clubs and farm groups, as well as making many farm visits. The exchange became an event in which the whole community participated.

I was the first agriculture or forestry Extension agent to participate in this job exchange program sponsored by the Oregon State University Extension Association, a professional organization of Extension educators. A formal agreement had been signed between Oregon State University and the Department of Conservation and Environment (DCE) in Victoria. This agreement was developed through the efforts of two Extension professionals who exchanged jobs through personal contact. I was paid my full salary by the university while in Australia and the Australian was paid by his government.

It was interesting to work in an Extension organization not attached to a university. The DCE had a few specialists based at the main office in Melbourne. But most of the time, the Extension officers were on their own. They did their own research, wrote their own grants, and conducted field tours. Sometimes, there was a problem of credibility when inexperienced officers were given major assignments. Also, being attached to a large government bureaucracy created some public relations problems that the Extension Service in America has largely avoided.

Both of us benefited from the international job exchange. We learned a great deal about life in each other's countries and each of us has taken new technical ideas back to our own clients. For example, I've shared information about how Australians protect forest homes from wildfires and how shelterbelts are used in forage systems. I've also provided information about dryland cropping research with campus specialists. In addition, I observed the Australians having fun at work. l plan to integrate this concept into my daily routine and share the concept of having fun with my colleagues.