Two waves of interns have arrived in Pittsburgh from across the pond, 40 or so students who've been dispatched to job sites that range from a campus police station to a software games developer, a BMW/MINI Cooper dealership to a graphics designer where the office perks include free-flowing Guinness beer.

Once here, their pro forma exam was a walk in the park and then some: They set out on a scavenger hunt to find such things as the Point (easy), a place to rent bicycles on the Eliza Furnace Trail (pretty easy) and what turned out to be the day's puzzler, a Port Authority Route 55M schedule to Century III Mall. (What's a Port Authority doing with a fleet of buses?)

The team led by Allen Wilson, 24, of Portadown in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, took first prize and won Steelers T-shirts, no small happenstance considering that Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney is not only an honorary Commander of the British Empire but his ancestors were natives of Newry, the fourth largest city in Northern Ireland.

Arranged by field supervisor Stuart Christy, the hunt reinforced Wider Horizon's mission of fostering conflict resolution through teamwork.

Students each year are chosen based on need and skills, but also a quota system -- one-third are Northern Ireland Catholics, one-third Northern Ireland Protestants and one-third are residents of border counties in the Republic of Ireland.

"The idea is if you bring them out of that context over to the U.S. and you mix them in, it shows them that they're all human beings," said Mr. Christy, of Craigavon in County Armagh. "It shows they can work together."

Sponsored by the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh through the International Fund for Ireland, the interns from high school to graduate school age are part of an eight-week program that's the largest of its kind in the United States.

James Lamb, institute president, said more than 1,600 people have come here since the program was founded at Carlow College by Sister Michele O'Leary in 1989. It has since moved its classroom base to the Duquesne University business school.

"We are the largest overseas provider to the International Fund for Ireland's Wider Horizons program by a mile," Mr. Lamb said. "One of the ways it happens in Pittsburgh is getting these kids here now so that when they go back it's with new friends to live together and work together."

Mr. Wilson was paired with Joe Hunt, 18, of Carrickmacross in County Monaghan, Ireland. They are working side by side at P&W Foreign Cars in Shadyside -- Mr. Hunt fixing BMWs and Mr. Wilson helping sell MINI Coopers.

"I like the sales aspect at home. I'm trying to be a bit more hands-on here," Mr. Wilson said of the opportunity. What he's learning is how to balance the hard pitch with the soft-shoe approach.

The key is trying to suggest accessories to those who pretty much know what they want at first, he said. "It's interesting to go out there, build up a rapport," he said.

Mr. Hunt has been surprised to discover just how interrelated the BMW and MINI Cooper are. Of the MINI, he said "The engine is from Germany, the body parts are English and bits and pieces are from France," making it a true European car.

Other interns include Trevor Brennan, 21, of County Louth, Ireland, who was interested in computer-aided design. A natural fit for him was Wall-to-Wall Studios on the North Side, whose clients include Giant Eagle and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Co-founder James Nesbitt said the graphic design firm was helping Mr. Brennan design and print logos, brochures and Web sites. Aside from the pebbled lobby wall, communal fireplace and Guinness tap, one thing that sets Wall-to-Wall apart is the location of its one and only branch office -- on Nu'uanu Avenue in Honolulu.

"We have a Swiss intern in Honolulu and an Irish intern in Pittsburgh," Mr. Nesbitt said. "We're really global."

Stephen O'Hagan, 29, also of County Armagh, has been shadowing the Duquesne University police.

So far, Mr. O'Hagan's highlight was witnessing American justice at work during a disorderly conduct hearing before District Judge Oscar J. Petite.

Contrary to what he might've thought, the wheels spun quickly. "It was in and out in half a hour," he said, and that included two or three cases that preceded the one for which he was there.

As to preconceived notions that stateside friends might have, several students said tension between the unionists and nationalists has ebbed since the 1997 cease fire.

"But it's still sort of there a bit," said Mr. Wilson, an assessment shared by Deidre Maguire, 19, of County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

"Even my sisters wouldn't have any friends from the other religion. There'd be a big stink over that," said Ms. Maguire, who's been struck by the effects of domestic violence on those she has seen at Gwen's Girls, the Homewood center for at-risk teens.

The Ireland Institute relies on family hosts as well as workplace sponsors such as Bill Schmidt, the P&W dealership manager.

"I appreciate these kids not only for their work, but I feel like I'm giving back," said Mr. Schmidt, who recalled the value his son Bill Jr. had placed on his own college internship in Japan 10 years ago.

Being asked to return the favor was a no-brainer, Mr. Schmidt said. "I jumped on it. I said, 'I've got to do it.'"