“The company I worked for was called CSR Asia – they promote corporate social responsibility in companies in China. My tasks included looking into Chinese and foreign companies, researching and comparing their CSR policies, and writing reports.”

“The highlight of my China trip was definitely the trip to the Great Wall of China – we walked for over 2 miles along it.”

“There was one night we went the night market (an event put on by CRCC Asia) where we samples some of the more interesting dishes in Chinese cuisine. These included Lamb’s intestine, bird’s heads, and scorpions.”

The international internship in Beijing organized by CRCC Asia was a transformative experience. My placement was an incredible opportunity to develop new skills relevant to my field of study, Global and International Politics. I was delighted to complete my NGO/Charity internship at an embassy in Beijing, which enabled me to shape and advance my professional career.

My role at the embassy gave me a first-hand experience of international diplomacy. Most importantly, CRCC Asia organized cultural events, business seminars, and weekly Mandarin lessons to facilitate a balance between my work and social life in China. I would like to thank CRCC Asia for their unwavering support throughout my internship. I highly recommend CRCC Asia for students who are interested in international internships and placements.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do an internship in Beijing via the British Council and CRCC Asia. The team were all so wonderful and were there for us 24/7, they would come with us to the hospital and be of emotional support also. The internship was wonderful and a great way to make international connections. I was placed in the exact field and even niche area that I hope to have as a career in the future. The whole team work above and beyond to make our stay enjoyable whilst giving us weekly Mandarin lessons which were very helpful and cultural activities such as calligraphy and dumpling making. I got to meet a lot of new and wonderful people and live in an amazing city for a month, altogether it was an invaluable opportunity and one of the best things I have ever done in my life.

My internship in Beijing with CRCC Asia was an incredible experience for me. It allowed me to achieve my long-time dream to visit China and to combine my time there with a practical and meaningful internship. As a university student close to graduation, I started thinking more and more about the life after I was done with my studies, and, thus, I started looking for an internship that can both teach me something and look good on my CV. Then, I came across CRCC Asia and thought doing the program and doing it in China would be a great thing for me. I applied, was successful and CRCC Asia delivered.

I got an offer for an internship in the funding division of a renowned international NGO. In retrospect, I was particularly happy at that position, because it allowed me to see the entire work process in the NGO: all the work that all other divisions were doing would inevitably go through the funding division in the shape of project proposals to potential or long-term donors. Due to the fact that my division was predominantly international and the other divisions were mostly Chinese, the atmosphere in the office seemed to incorporate the best of Chinese and Western work practices, and it was a very enjoyable environment to work in.

Then, there was the free time, and Beijing definitely is a fun place to be when it comes to that. If you are organized or know someone who can help you make arrangements, you can travel weekends and discover other cities and areas of China. I could not travel much, but, still, after two months of exploring Beijing, I continued finding new things to do and interesting places to visit. There are lots of great historic and cultural landmarks, the cuisine is great (and so very cheap), and nightlife is pretty much the same as anywhere around the world although there is a pretty big and fun expat community.

In the end, I have to say, the whole experience comes down to what motivation you have coming in and whether that changes, how happy you are with your job, and where and with whom you decide to spend your nights and weekends. I felt all those things aligned well for me, so my internship in China is definitely an experience I will remember for a long time.

At the point of my life where I was still unsure of what I wanted to do, I knew an international working experience would make me stand out from the crowd in terms of career opportunities. My academic background and strong interests in the rising economic powerhouse of China motivated me to seek first hand experience in the Chinese business environment. Having met a CRCC Asia representative at an information session presented at my university, I was convinced to apply for the program. Upon my acceptance in an initial one month internship in Beijing, I was a little unsure of what to expect. In hindsight, I have gained everything and more of what I wanted from the program, which is reflected in my decision to extend my stay by an additional month.

I was placed in a small not for profit organisation within the ‘Green Consulting’ sector. At first, I was a little sceptical about the responsibilities that I would be given due to my limited experience in the industry. Despite this, I am extremely grateful of the experiences and opportunities given to me. My tasks varied from research and analysis, updating the client database, evaluating survey results, acting as a scribe in a Board meeting and also assisting with the organisation and implantation of a high profile discussion and networking event co-organised by my company to stakeholders in China’s climate change sector.

Due to the strong connections between China and Australia, I believe that this experience will give me the competitive edge in my future career endeavours. The challenges and opportunities for professional and personal development presented to me by the CRCC Asia Internship program has allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and experience everything from the language, culture, social and business environment in China. My time spent in Beijing has sparked a greater interest in the Mandarin language and I am now currently undertaking beginner lessons in hope of returning to China with a greater knowledge of the language and the ability to communicate with the locals.

The benefit of the program was the flexibility to do whatever I pleased outside of my working commitments to enjoy the vibrant city life of Beijing. I was able to explore different parts of the city on the weekends as well as after work, allowing me to immerse myself with the locals. Two standout day trips were of course, the Great Wall of China and Bungee Jumping in Shidu. In addition to my internship placement, I was offered beginner language classes, business networking events and cultural and social events. The coordinators were extremely helpful with the living experiences in Beijing, as well as providing assistance to any problems or questions I had. Furthermore, the friendships I have established with people around the globe are ones that will last a lifetime. There was never a dull moment as the city of Beijing has a unique nightlife, a numerous variety of restaurants and many things to see and do!