Benefit from internships and experiences
> A chat with the founders of WeCruited, a platform connecting students to internships
I Tall started with a conversation between two students from INTI International College Subang at a class pizza party, which led to the creation of WeCruited, a platform connecting 150 fellow students to part-time internship stints.
The two Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) degree programme students who came up with the idea are Diana Woon Jia Hui and Adrina Adam.
These two young lasses took their impromptu idea and decided to put their minds together in the hope of changing the future of employment.
WeCruited is in essence the brainchild of Diana. The idea spawned from a business pitch challenge she took part in, aimed at providing students with part-time event-related job experiences.
The girls inform that the idea then developed into securing part-time internships, full-time internships and mentorship programmes online, at various companies, after which demand grew and there was want from both side, employers and students.
“As college students ourselves, we saw an opportunity to help our fellow college students gain industry experiences through part-time work in relevant fields while studying,” said Adrina, who is completing her final semester reading a Bachelor of Science in Business Studies programme.
“Beyond the perks of earning some income on the side, students are able to understand industry needs better and learn a variety of work styles and cultures even before graduating,” Adrina added.
The idea was founded on a vision, “to normalise the idea of part-time internships, and we hope to kick-start a culture of working college students who are well equipped by the time they enter the workplace as full-time employees,” shared a very passionate Adrina. The dynamic duo are already collaborating with over 50 employers, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), even start-up companies and connecting these firms with more than 150 students who are keen to take on various part-time employment at these companies. These part-time stints usually involve a 15- to 20-hour working arrangement per week. Engagements are customised according to the employer’s needs and usually run across a three-month period. Over a span of seven months, these young entrepreneurs have helped secure 15 internship positions (both part-time and fulltime) and are hiring for companies such as SupplyBunny and Offpeak. They have also managed to bring on board mentors from prominent companies such as WeWork and Airbnb to assist and guide their fellow students in areas like professional development, networking and soft skills improvement. “We are excited for the future of WeCruited and we hope to expand our business in connecting employers and graduates for full-time opportunities,” said Diana. Currently, the two girls are focusing on connecting students from a variety of other universities and colleges to employers for part-time internships, as a start. “These opportunities allow students to discover their passion earlier, regardless