An internship is incomparable practical experience. It provides a unique opportunity not only to apply and polish the knowledge gained, but also to see the inner workings of a Western company, learn more about the specifics of the market of the host country, hone business skills and, of course, improve your English language level. Work experience abroad is a guarantee of further career advancement.
Canada and the United Kingdom are still considered the most promising countries for internships. It is here that employers give interns the maximum opportunity to prove themselves and work in exactly the areas that are needed for career development. Here you will not spend all day making coffee or copying documents; you will follow your internship plan, drawn up according to your specialty and wishes. The list of specialties for which you can undertake an internship is extensive: business, finance, audit, tourism, computers and information technologies, marketing, advertising, HR management, business communications, public relations faculty, international trade, engineering, etc. Upon completion, you receive a Cambridge certificate for the completed internship - Cambridge Work Experience Certificate - and letters of recommendation from the company. Certificates and recommendations from companies such as the Royal Bank of Canada, IBM, Vancouver Television Studios, Yaletown Technologies are the key to success in the global labor market.
Internships are open to senior students (starting from the third year), as well as graduates, young specialists and experienced professionals. The duration can vary from one to 12 months. Some programs offer a preliminary short-term English course, while others, such as the unique program developed by one of the founders of the World Association GWEA (Global Work Experience Аssociation) Tamwood College, Vancouver, Canada, consist of several modules. The first module provides intensive English language classes with a specialization in Business English. The second module is a seminar on job interview techniques, employer psychology, professional resume and motivation letter writing, and business negotiations. The program concludes with a third module - direct internship in a Canadian company, which ends with the defense of a project work and obtaining a certificate.
To undertake an internship in the United Kingdom, you need a language level of intermediate and upper-intermediate; in Canada - upper-intermediate and advanced. As a rule, the language level is checked by the program coordinator in Ukraine based on the results of testing and an oral interview, and by the host coordinator based on the results of a phone interview.
In addition to language requirements, you must provide the following documents: a resume in English, a motivation letter, a letter to a potential employer, two or three letters of recommendation, diplomas with supplements and all available certificates, and photographs. Additionally, an application form is filled out, indicating the industry and specialty in which you want to intern, as well as five more narrower specializations. This is done to select an internship that best matches the candidate's individual needs. The cost of the program varies by country and is $500-700 per month. Interns usually live with a host family or in a separate apartment. Working hours are from 9:00 to 17:30 Monday through Friday, i.e. 30-40 hours per week. Some internships provide financial remuneration or incentive to interns. The processing of documents takes three to four months. The program starts every Monday, but it must be remembered that the largest number of students wishing to do an internship occurs in the summer months, so it is better to take care of submitting documents in advance.
An internship is a program for those who understand that investing in one's own career is the most successful investment.