Hey friends,
I hope you all had a restful break! I definitely did. My family and I stayed home for Christmas and celebrated with all of our yearly traditions. We saw Christmas lights, made yummy food and watched all of our favorite classic movies.
The not-so-fun part of break consisted of me searching for internships. The rush to find a summer job has started to approach students with lighting speed. I applied to some on LinkedIn before the fall semester ended, but as a sophomore, the available jobs are very limited. That was when I stumbled upon my newest discovery.
The Pitt Global Experiences Office offers numerous unique opportunities abroad. One of those consists of their International Internship Program. I had personally never heard of this before, but it is an opportunity to gain experience in a real, professional workplace under your specific field in a global setting.
Its programs at this moment in time are Berlin, Dublin, Madrid, Prague, Paris, Seoul and, my personal favorite, Stockholm. I originally found these opportunities through Pitt Global Experiences website, where you can easily navigate to the “Programs” tab at the top. Here, you can search what time of the year, type of program, place you’d like to visit and area you want to study under one page.
If you aren’t familiar with any of the programs like I was, they have all the information you need to know right on the website. I ended up contacting the coordinator of the internship programs and had a quick meeting to answer some questions. Here’s what I found out.
No, you do not have to be a Pitt business student to apply for these internships. The website was a little confusing here, but you could totally be an engineering or English major and find the perfect internship for your own area of study. Yes, you receive credit for taking these jobs. Because of working visa policies, unfortunately, the internships cannot pay you. However, there are many scholarships you can apply for and you end up getting six standard credits towards your studies here at Pitt.
One of my biggest hesitations was cost, but not only are there scholarships to help you pay, the experience and networking you receive in return is worth it in the end to me. Not to mention, since you are abroad, you have easy access to traveling to other countries on the weekends.
For most of these internships, there are small qualifications. For example, some require proficient knowledge of the native language for the country you visit. For example, Madrid requires a certain level of Spanish because the program sends students to a house with a local family, not a dorm situation. Stockholm, on the other hand, requires a certain GPA, no language and a completed, thorough application. It’s important to conduct your own research and read each opportunity before you decide where you would like to go.
The application process was not too difficult as well. There were 11 steps for me ranging from just a signature to 200-word-minimum short answer questions. You agree to the terms and conditions of the program, confirm you have a valid passport and sign any forms in advance.
Some open questions had no word minimum and asked about your interests, major and where you see yourself working. The more information for this section, the better. This way, they can more accurately place you with a company that matches your academic and professional passions.
The 200-word questions were a bit time-consuming, but were not difficult to answer. It just took some time getting all your words onto paper and answering multiple of them in a row. But don’t let the writing deter you. I actually finished the application process all within one day, so if I can do it, so can you.
There was a section where you attach your resume under a specific global format, but don’t get worried because this is just a draft. I assume once you get accepted into the program, they help you tweak things and make you more presentable for your interview.
You start with a casual interview in the Pitt Business office where you meet with the coordinator and discuss the application as well as any questions you have. You then get matched with a company or business in your location of choice and set up another interview with them. If everything works out, you accept your position and start getting ready for the trip.
I’ve only just applied, and my first interview is in a week or so, so I’m not the most advanced on this topic yet. I still wanted to share this discovery with you all in hopes I can inspire someone out there to get into the world and fulfill their dreams of travel.
Not to mention, in today’s professional world, global networking and connections abroad are extremely vital to success. Companies look for people who are well rounded and experienced, so studying abroad no matter the program can greatly impact your academic career and give you a step up in the job market.
Just because I mainly discussed the internship program doesn’t mean that’s the only option best for you too! I plan on studying abroad for a semester as well next year in Florence with the Panther Program. Some majors can’t leave for a whole semester, so a “Maymester” might better fit those situations. If you play around with the search on their website, there’s loads of opportunities like research trips, service learning, projects and more.
If you have questions, floor eight of the William Pitt Union is the Global Studies office where you can schedule a consulting appointment and talk to someone in person. You should also discuss things with your academic advisor to make sure you stay on track to graduate and have the ability to leave at certain points of the year.
So, although I did not accomplish too much this break, I think this internship opportunity is a hidden gem here at Pitt. If you like to travel or have interest working abroad in the future, then I highly recommend giving this a look. The global opportunities are endless.
Until the next edition, stay warm everyone.