WYSE Travel Confederation hosts global events for the youth travel industry. Click the logos below to learn more.

Interview with Andries Bonneur, CEO

Tell us your story. How did Stage-Global get started?
I started Stage-Global in 2010 during my final year of university study. The Bachelor thesis that I wrote was actually a business plan on how to set up an exchange program between The Netherlands and the United States – specifically for internships. During this research I came to the conclusion that there were many students interested in such a programme, but that it was difficult to arrange. This is why I started Stage-Global. Over the past 9 years, Stage-Global has grown into an international exchange programme. We now place students and young professionals in the US, Australia and Europe. We plan to start programmes in Asia in early 2020 as well. Besides intern and trainee programs, we also offer Au Pair programmes in the US. Stage-Global has its headquarters in The Netherlands and an office in New York City.

What makes Stage-Global different from your competitors?
Stage-Global has a global network of companies for the intern and trainee programmes. We set ourselves apart from our competition by offering mainly full placement and provide additional services such as visa, housing and insurance. Also, all of the intern/trainee placements we offer are paid, either with stipend or salary. We offer paid intern and traineeships from a minimum of 3 to a maximum of 18 months.

What can we expect to see from Stage-Global in the future?
We will be adding many more locations globally to our intern and trainee programs in 2020, starting with several locations in Asia and Africa. Additionally, we plan to add even more programs to our portfolio in the markets we already operate in.

Which trends do you see in educational youth travel?
We see a growing trend in youth travel. In the Netherlands alone, 1 in 4 students go abroad during their study – either for an internship or study abroad.

How do you work to ensure the health and safety of young travellers involved with Stage-Global?
We work very closely with our partners and host companies abroad. Most of our host companies have been visited by us over the years, and we keep track of the participant experiences. In addition, we prepare our participants to ensure a smooth transition to a new country and culture. We also make sure that all our participants have sufficient insurance.

What was your motivation to join WYSE Travel Confederation?
Several of our current partners are members of WYSE Travel Confederation, which prompted us to also join. We find it important and valuable to stay closely connected to our partners and the industry.