======= Date Modified 05 Jul 2012 11:54:05 =======
I have two offers on the table: a sponsored PhD in the UK and a 2-year Junior Professional Associate position (JPA) at the World Bank. Both are great but I need to make a choice. My dream has always been to work in the World Bank but I have also never lost sight of my PhD ambition. I intend to go into academia but after amassing some professional experience, so the PhD is not for teaching in the near term.

Which do you think is worth accepting now? Which do you think I can defer and still maintain control over? World Bank JPA or PhD?

I don't know the area but I would guess the World Bank position is probably more competitive to get into so early on and would be great experience for later on in life. Maybe in time they would even sponsor a PhD part-time for you anyway?

The JPA is for 2 years, non-renewable and non-extendable. After 2 years you are prohibited from World Bank employment for the following 2 years, so the possibility of getting sponsored for a PhD by the Bank is not there. The sponsored PhD on the table is in Strategic Management.