key components of intenships abroad
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TRANSCRIPT
Key Components of Internships Abroad
Elena Villaescusa, Barcelona SAE [email protected] LaSharon McLean Perez, UC Riverside [email protected]
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Questions for the Audience
ò Did you participate in an internship abroad?
ò Have you sent students abroad for an internship?
ò What’s one skill you learned from your internship?
ò What’s one skill your students have learned?
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What we’ll do today
Q &A
DISCUSSION
INTERNSHIP TOOLKIT
Discuss the key components included in a premiere internship program
From two perspectives:
The university The on-site staff
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Building a Premiere Program
ò Choose your comparison:
ò Icing on the cake
ò Construction of a better house
ò Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
ò Starting with the bare bones necessities including:
ò Internship Placement
ò Housing
ò Emergency availability
But adding on from there to create a premiere internship program 5
Let’s hear from students
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What UCR Students Say
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ò What’s the one skill you learned?
“How to wear a suit properly”.
“I learnt different methods of teaching and communicating.”
“I learnt how to manage and motivate children, a skill that I know carries into business management “.
“How to find work after a major natural disaster”.
“I learnt general office skills as they relate to being in another country”.
What UCR Students Say
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ò What’s the one skill that you want to learn or improve?
“How to maintain a professional yet approachable candor”.
“I think learning the language with which I spent my internship, in this case Korean, would've allowed to much more effective teach”.
“I wish I could've learned to be strict because although I did motivate them sometimes I would need help from the other teachers to correct the behavior of some students whom would disrupt the class”.
“ I found that communication is key. Coming from the US, I found that what I say does not always translate well. So I would have liked to improve this”.
What UCR Students Say
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ò What support did you have in seeking an internship?
“The UCR Career Center had a workshop on working in the government, which is where I learned how to apply to governmental jobs - internships included, and I attended a Career Day in which I received information on the internship”.
“The IEC gave me tons of support. What more could I have asked for?”.
“During my application process, I also worked with the UCR Extension Center for communication purposes and found it also very helpful”.
“I think that my experience with the International Education Center has been exceptional and positive. Having someone who has experience being abroad to help me with my question was very useful”.
“Very little from the provider of this particular internship. I sought the help of my brother”.
“Right after the Japan earthquake, my program gave me guidance on how to find work”.
“I managed to find my job on Craigslist”.
What UCR Students Say
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ò What support would you have wanted in helping you find an internship or wanted during the internship?
“I wish my provider could have been proactive in helping me find an internships, they only posted tutoring jobs and had a tedious application process, or would require proficient understanding of the language”.
“What I didn't like about the internship was the lack of communication between the professional staff and "intern students" at the university”.
“ I wish I had a clear understanding of what the work day would be. I did not like answering emails and phone calls at 9pm”.
“ Trying to find ways to express myself in communicating. I did not have the language proficiency to explain what I needed or wanted”.
Key Components of Internships: University Perspective
LaSharon McLean Perez Assistant Director International Education Center
UC Riverside
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Internships Abroad : Benefits
• Adds to the educational value in the classroom
• Encourages students to study abroad
• Raises the profile of your office & university
• The economic factor (esp. summer)
• Increases diversity on campus
• Academic credit = income generation
• International experience for the C.V.
12 • Increased opportunities for students who are not able to S.A.
Heather Mitchell
Global Crossroads
Medical Internship in Kenya
Forms R Us - Applications, Resume,
Cover Letters, and Interviews
Logistics – All the Nuts & Bolts
Managing Expectations – Wash,
Rinse, Repeat
Focus - Goal Setting/Learning Plan
University Role
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Cultivate Connections
1 • Study Abroad Office
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• Career Services • Departmental Internship
Coordinators
4 • Faculty 14
Internship Courses
ò What are the existing internship courses on campus? Which majors already have internship procedures/requirements?
ò What does the abroad internship course consist of ? Does it match campus requirements?
ò Work with appropriate offices to develop a baseline/standard internship syllabus with an international addendum
ò Determine internship credit hours and tuition fees associated
ò Set baseline requirements/procedures but be flexible too
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Lots of Logistics
*Make Life Easier – Integrate Existing Procedures
1. Application
2. Cover Letters
3. Resumes
4. References
5. Standard Study Abroad waivers, agreements, budget sheets, etc.
6. Internship Learning Plan/Goals
7. Workshops & Seminars – Collaboration with Career Services & Internship Coordinators
8. Consistent evaluation and refinement of learning plan/goals
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Managing Expectations
ò Wash, Rinse, Repeat
ò Emerging Professionals – Back to the Basics
ò Current skills
ò Language ability
ò GPA requirements
ò Previous experience
ò Previous coursework
ò Cultural challenges and differences
ò Be flexibile but demand quality
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Learning Plans & Goal Setting
ò Study: Goal setting activities have high impact on student learning during in any international experience (Kitsantas, 2004)
ò Integrate goal-setting into existing campus policies and expectations
ò SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely
ò Personal, Professional, and Cultural Goals
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What is the provider’s role?
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internship placement
home university and/or student
Link
What’s included in the internship package?
q Placement q Housing q Emergency q Visa q Insurance q Financial aid advice q Pre-departure orientation q On-site support q Airport pick-up
ò
q Customized placement process
q 360 support from app to return
q Professional development/Mentoring
q Cultural integration/excursions
q Training of on-site staff working with
American students
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ò Special requirements in terms of eligibility, forms, on-site visits, evaluations, hours worked, give to us along with application!
ò Support of academic supervisor to ensure credit transfer.
ò Full disclosure.
ò Expectations management, again.
Universities, Be Prepared to Provide
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Constructing the Premiere Internship Program
Elena Villaescusa On-site Internship and Activities Coordinator
Barcelona Study Abroad Experience
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Key Components of Internships Abroad:
On-site Staff Perspective
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“CONSTRUIR”
Why is this so important?
ü Knowledge
ü Skills
ü Awareness
“Knowing why people act their way they do helps us adapt”
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Working in Unfamiliar Environments
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Elements to consider when BUILDING
A PREMIER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM?
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End of Program
During Program
Upon Arrival
Pre-Departure
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Pre-Departure
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Finding a match
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• Application and interview process?
• How long will it take to find a placement?
• What questions are asked to assess students’ needs and goals?
• When and how are interviews conducted?
• What kind of questions do they ask?
• Minimum level required?
• If there is a range of requirements, how this affects the types of placements that a student can have?
• How is the language level assessed?
• Is there an opportunity for students to take a language class in-country?
¿hablas español?
• Type of organizations?
• What makes a successful intern in ____ city?
• What happens if a student
isn´t happy?
Finding a match
“You will have an internship”
“You will be interning in X field”
“Expectations for you at this specific location”
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Internship Questionnaire
Skype interview
Internship Questionnaire and Skype call script
ò What is your ideal internship placement?
ò If your first preference isn’t an option, what else would you be interested in doing?
ò What tasks do you envision taking on?
ò Do you prefer a lot of supervision or more independence?
ò What experience do you have in that field?
ò Imagine I am talking to this company on your behalf, what should I say to them to convince them that you should work there?
ò Can we speak for a couple minutes in target language? 31
Student Preparation
Pre-departure advising
Placement Information letter!
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Upon Arrival
Pre-Departure
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Orientation
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• Experience with US college students?
• Locals who have lived abroad/US nationals in-country for a long time and fluent in local language?
• Excellent in-country reputation and connections?
On-site placement team
Orientation
2 addresses: Housing & Placement
Orientation: Health & Safety, Transportation, City logistics
Orientation: Cultural differences, Personal Goals
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During Program
Upon Arrival
Pre-Departure
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Intern supervision and evaluation: what’s the system?
• How are students
supervised? • Are any on-site visits
conducted during the semester?
• How are the interns evaluated and what does the final report look like?
• How is intern feedback on their place of work received?
Evaluation & Supervision
Continuous evaluation
ò 1st Evaluation (by e-mail)
ò To both student and placement
ò 2nd Evaluation (in person)
ò Cross-Cultural Workshops to discuss, reflect, share…
ò Personal Space issues
ò Concept of time
ò Communication style differences
ò Re-visit goals
ò Weekly Work Logs
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Cultural Integration
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What is the environment of support? • How are students led into the
culture, work ethic, communication avenues?
Cultural Integration
• Weekly get-togethers
• Weekly e-mail or e-newsletter that connects them to each other
• Excursions
• Special visits by field
• Networking events (Afterworks)
• Language exchange partners
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Professional development
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What do students get out of the experience? • Mentoring or coaching
happening? • Workshops or seminars?
REFLECTIVE ACTIVITIES
End of Program
During Program
Upon Arrival
Pre-Departure
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End of the program
“Adios”
Packet of information about challenges of going home
Re-entry workshop & final presentations
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Re-entry workshop
1 “How to use this internship experience on your resume”
2 Keep your experience ALIVE– Networking (LinkedIn).
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Document
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Key Components of Internships Abroad
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Elena Villaescusa, Barcelona SAE [email protected]
LaSharon McLean Perez, UC Riverside [email protected]