Technical and business internships

What are the chances of an internship for students of technical and economical specializations?

Do engineers really have an easy start?
 
It is widely assumed that it is easiest to find a job if you are an engineer. Does that mean that they do not have to work and try hard to receive an internship? On the contrary! Future engineers also have to think about how they may convince their potential employer to pick them. Experience is valued a lot; foreign experience doubly so.

Not as easy as it may appear.

 
One may fall under an impression that is is easier for students from technology universities to find a foreign internship than for the ones of other specializations. Many corporations actively try to recruit future engineers for their own training programmes during their college work fairs or career days. Polish universities of technology cooperate with IASTE committees (The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience), and chances of internship abroad for students committed in its workings greatly increase. Such organisations are not unique for universities of technology though.

You have to realize that the conviction concerning engineers finding internships easily is a result of so many offers for IT specialists. Unluckily, as it turns out not all engineering specializations have the same chances for internship abroad.

More often than not, they have to find an employer on their own. This is much harder for future or current engineers from specializations such as nutrition engineering and food technology, product research, wood technology and chemical engineering.

Sales engineer?

 
We also advise the students from engineering specializations to consider a possibility of internship in sales, marketing or product development departments. Nowadays, the most important thing for employers are wide competences that may be used at any post. Besides this, ones that earn the most are those that can introduce their technical knowledge to business. Foreign internships also ensure development of your language skills that are currently a very important feat.

International experience for economists

 
Internships – especially abroad – are also an extremely important point in careers of future economists. Students of such specializations have an entire constellation of possibilities open to them. Marketing, management, PR, economy, international economical relations, international trade – all of them are needed by foreign companies.

It is good to emphasize that you can gain international experience in other places than European countries. One of the most tempting regions for the young people is Asia. Not only it has its exotics, but you can also experience business being run according to other standards and rules than western ones. Managerial and economical students should try to go for an internship abroad not only in big corporations, but also smaller companies. This is also where you may gain practical skills and knowledge about business environment.

Option: work

 
Both technically- and economically-minded students should consider that there is a possibility that they may stay in a country they left for. If the employer is content with an intern that is a resource for him, he may always offer him a job and invest in employee development. It often happens that a young person leaves for internship, then signs up an agreement with a company and keeps working for it, either abroad or within their country if the company has its branch in it. It is a perfect option for most trainees. Even if the employer will not extend the agreement, though, it needs not mean that employer is discontent. And the intern also gains something – an international experience that will make other companies notice him or her.
photo source: eurocopter.com

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