My teens are now into GCSE years and the conversation turns to “so what are you going to do with your life” a lot right now! There are so many opportunities out there for this generation than there was for me 20 so years ago, from apprenticeships, to colleges, to University and specialist training providers to internships. Wow! Mind blowing! Something I didn’t really know anything about before was an internship.
What Is An Internship?
An internship is a professional learning work experience offered by an organisation for a limited period of time. Traditionally this used to be around medical graduates, but now an internship is available in a wide range of placements including businesses, non-profit organisations and even government agencies.
Internships aren’t just confined to your home country there are many benefits of completing your internship abroad. Most of the times internships are unpaid work experience, however your accomodation, food and travel expenses are covered. Some companies however vary from completely unpaid, to stipends, or in some cases even full pay. Defining factors can be the kind of visa you need as some will not allow you to earn a wage.
5 Reasons You Should Consider An International Internship:
- You Can Live & Work Anywhere: My first proper job after I left college was working abroad it provided the perfect opportunity for me to travel and work. I got to explore a new country but develop the skills I had trained in college for and meet wonderful people who are still my friends now. International Internships open up literally the whole world to you! Plus with many global businesses conducting business in multiple countries you have the opportunity to travel even more.
- Diversity: An international Internship provides a huge amount of diversity. From the industries, you can choose to intern in, to the geographical location you choose to intern from. An internship is the perfect next step after college/university for growth, development and opportunities you might miss out on in your home country.
- Learn A New Language: We all know that the best and easiest way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in an environment where it is spoken regularly. Interning abroad gives time to consistently and regularly practice speaking another language with native speakers. For example, an International Internships Seoul allows you to learn Korean whilst working and develop an understanding of the culture whilst progressing in your chosen career path. It’s literally a winning combination.
- Networking Opportunities: I love networking! You can literally never have too many people in your network. Learning to build, grow and develop networking relationships is a skill that will help you build your career. Businesses more now than ever are global. Companies will often have offices in multiple countries, it’s helpful to build connections with other individuals within your company or industry field to connect you to job opportunities and future collaborations. During an international internship, you will make connections with your host employer, other interns, and other industry leaders. Most intern providers will also organise networking opportunities, day trips and events to help you build your network, have fun and learn more about your international environment.
- Stand Out From Others: It’s important to try and find ways to make yourself stand out from others, especially when applying for employment when the pool of candidates is vast and of a high standard. Taking advantage of internship opportunities shows future employers that you have taken the time to invest in learning new things, working as a team and honing your craft. Also, consider what it says about you as a person, it’s a huge thing to leave your friends and family and work away in a foreign country where you may not even be able to speak the language.
Whilst providing great opportunities Beyond Academy and other internship providers work hard to ensure there is plenty of choice for internships, lots of benefits to the intern and provide a great experience for everyone involved in the internship experience. Have you ever considered or completed an international internship? I would love to hear your thoughts.
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