Students keen on internships abroad

Understanding a new culture is an important part of the learning experience, say students

NAVI MUMBAI: It is common practice for students to optimise the free time during holidays to get hands- on training and professional experience. This year, while the practice continues, more and more students are also looking to go to foreign countries for work experience.

One such organisation which helps students go abroad for summer internships is AIESEC Navi Mumbai, based in Vashi. A number of students in the city, who have enrolled in the international non-profit students organisation, will be going to various cities across the globe on six to eight week-long summer internships. In fact, this year AIESEC is planning to organise more than 30 experiences during the summers.

Juanita Dsouza, 19, a media student from Kharghar is in the process of applying for a summer internship in Italy. “I’m really looking forward to this experience, especially the nature of work there. Not only do I want to gain the professional experience, but also understand the people, their culture and work ethics,” said Dsouza.

“We have a vast variety of internships in different areas, some of them being project management, managing awareness campaigns, mass media Internships, etc. The students who have already registered with us are already in the process of applying to different countries,” said Rohit Behal, vice president Outgoing Exchange ( Global Entrepreneurs Program), AIESEC Navi Mumbai.

Last year, AIESEC was successful in delivering about 800 experiences across the country, of which 12 interns were from Navi Mumbai.

Rasika Iyer, a 19-year-old Vashi student who went to Ukraine, last summer for a two-month internship under the global community development programme said, “I had to teach English to the local kids. At first there were some issues owing to the language barrier, but slowly every- thing was sorted. What made the internship different was that I living the life of a native.”

Most students were of the opinion that international internships were gaining popularity because the youth of today believe in practical knowledge more than just theoretical knowledge.