Gain International Work Experience Virtually While Earning UA Credit

Are you looking for a way to earn course credit next semester while gaining professional experience and cultural knowledge? The University of Arizona is partnering with the Institute for American Universities (IAU) to offer virtual global internship opportunities to students for Spring 2021 and Summer 2021. The virtual internship helps students build professional skills and enhance their resumes from the convenience of home. Students can receive UA credit for international work experience with companies in Spain or France. This opportunity provides personalized placements which align with students’ academic majors and interests, or future career goals. Building a global, professional network, developing intercultural competence, and honing relevant, professional skills are among the benefits of the virtual global internship.

Two types of internships are available. The first is the Global Internship, which places students based on their interest in industry-specific, multicultural professional settings. An academic component will be used to guide this program. Although fluency in Spanish and French are not required, some industries may require basic knowledge of the language. The second option is the Consulting Internship. The main assignment for this position is a hands-on consulting project that is specific to each placement. This will challenge students to come up with a solution to a problem from the organization. Students will work in groups with other international students to discuss the social, managerial, and technological aspects of the problem. Both internships types are worth 3 credits, with a minimum of 135 hours throughout the semester.

Sherry Chi participated in the Virtual Global Internship this past summer. She is a Literacy, Learning, and Leadership major with a Marketing minor. Chi worked for a French company called Minut’Pass as the Manager of Branding Consistency. Her main tasks included gathering imagery that aligns with the concepts of the company and organizing them. The team would then decide which character samples they would send to illustrators.

The virtual global internship was ideal for Chi because it allowed her to apply concepts that she was learning in class to a real-life professional setting. “One of the benefits that I gained from this internship program was that it pushed me to be more communicative since it’s virtual. I learned to respond faster and communicate more with my supervisor as well as the instructor in charge of the program.” In addition to developing intercultural communication skills, Chi was able to gain professional skills that she will be able to apply to her future career.

If you have questions or would like more information about the virtual global internship, please contact Michelle Anderson at michelleanderson@arizona.edu. The application to participate in the Virtual Global Internship is available for Spring 2021 or Summer 2021.