Launching your career abroad is easier than it sounds. Instead of spending hours slogging away at job applications, recent college grads can earn real-world work experience in a foreign country with an internship abroad. Not only does an international internship allow a young person to gain professional work experience in their field, but it also gives them the chance to take a year to grow and live in a new country and culture. An internship in a diverse city like London will teach a young professional about their future career and shape them with international work experience that will give them a lifelong multicultural perspective.
From attending London’s Fashion Week to working the Olympics, Intern Group interns have had amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience thanks to their internships abroad. “The highlight of my internship has been going to Fashion Week and getting to know a lot of the journalists and other designers,” said Fashion intern Silvia.
“This internship will be really good for my career because I want to go into governmental communications and it’s really nice to have that global perspective from working in a different country,” said Ainsley about her Public Relations internship in London. “Describing my experience in one word, I would have to say it really has been life-changing!”
Bre’s London internship was in Human Resources Management. Offering advice to future interns Bre said, “Make the most out of it. You take every opportunity to learn from your bosses and people who have worked in your industry as well as doing some sightseeing!”
Living in London
There’s tons to see and do in a place like London. The historic city has tons of cool cultural events and some of the most celebrated architecture and artwork in the world. During their stay in London, Intern Group interns live in pleasant accommodations in safe, residential areas of London like Canada Water, Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays. Interns can choose to either live in private bedrooms in high quality shared apartment accommodations or for a full immersion experience, they can stay with a local family.
A city of diversity and culture
People from all corners of the world call London home. In fact, more languages are spoken in London than any other city in the world. In addition to its rich diversity, London also hosts multitudes of cultural events every year, including over 17,000 music performances and more than 250 festivals. One of London’s most festivals is the Notting Hill Carnival, which remains Europe’s biggest street festival. Live comedy fans are also sure to find the best comics performing in London – the city is known to book the the funniest acts in the world.
Graduate interns in London will appreciate the city’s top-notch theatre scene. Some of the most celebrated performances in the world have occurred at Central London’s West End. These large, mainstream professional shows in London are staged in a part of the area called “Theatreland”. Some of the West End’s longest-running shows include The Mousetrap, Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera. The West End is also fun for walking about as it includes several iconic public squares and circuses.
For those who prefer live music to theatre, London is full of fun venues like Proud Camden, which is an art gallery by day and music venue by night. London also has its share of unique bars and music scenes like Volupte Lounge for throwback cabaret and comedy. Meanwhile, London’s The Lexington is a fun bar which is a cross between a speakeasy and a London pub.
Interns in London will eat well during their stay in the city. The city boasts over 65 Michelin-starred restaurants. For an authentic English experience, interns can check out Claridge’s Afternoon Tea for a wide array of tasty teas, pastries, sandwiches, scones and more. One of London’s top, tasty, traditional establishments is Rules, the oldest restaurant in the city. Established in 1798, the joint serves classic British food like game, pies and puddings.
The sites
St. Paul’s Cathedral is a London treasure. The Anglican cathedral is the mother church of the London Diocese. The original church dates back to AD 604. The current structure was built in the late 17th century and sits atop the Ludgate Hill, London’s highest point. Interns can check out the English Baroque style and iconic dome with a guided tour.
Buckingham Palace is one of the most iconic structures in London. The palace originated as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 and is now home to much of the royal family. The palace has 830,000 square feet of floor space. The Palace of Westminster is home of both houses of the UK Parliament, the House of Commons and the House of Lords. However, Westminster was first built in the eleventh century and was home to the Kings of England up until 1512, when a fire caused severe damage to the structure. Tours of the historic palace are available to overseas visitors.
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Sources: www.londontown.com, Wikipedia, www.frommers.com, www.visitlondon.com, www.london.gov.uk, Rules.co.uk
Photo 1. based on London Skyline, by DncnH, CC-by-2.0
Photo 2. based on House of Common, London, by Berit Watkin, CC-by-2.0
Photo 3. based on the london eye ( #cc ), by Martin Fisch, CC-by-2.0