Federico viene da Supino, in provincia di Frosinone e ad agosto 2015 è partito per un internship di 2 mesi a Shanghai nel settore del Business. L’esperienza di uno stage all’estero con il China Internship Program di CRCC Asia è stata molto positiva per lui e ha apprezzato molto l’organizzazione da parte di CRCC Asia. La cosa che lo ha colpito di più del programma sono state le persone: avendo sempre partecipato ai meeting dove la maggior parte delle persone erano cinesi, è rimasto colpito dalla loro calma e del loro modo di spiegare i risultati finanziari, totalmente diverso dal nostro. Dal punto di vista lavorativo inoltre si è trovato subito a suo agio sia con i colleghi che con la supervisor, con i quali si tiene ancora in contatto. Crede che questa esperienza a livello lavorativo gli sia servita ed è certo di aver migliorato le sue skills; dal punto di vista formativo, inoltre, è stato molto positivo in quanto ha anche messo in pratica ciò che ha imparato all’Università.

Andrea viene da Sassari e a Luglio è partito per Shanghai con il China Internship Program di CRCC Asia. Ha svolto uno stage di 3 mesi nel settore Legale, esperienza che gli è piaciuta molto e chi gli ha aperto un mondo nuovo e un modo diverso di vedere le cose. Infatti non esclude di tornare in Cina a lavorare. Ha frequentato anche le attività aggiuntive organizzate da CRCC Asia e le ha trovate molto interessanti. Ha creato un ottimo network, ha infatti definito il capitolo delle relazioni umane “davvero speciale”, avendo creato ottimi rapporti di amicizia con i ragazzi italiani, che spera di continuare a vedere anche ora che è tornato in Italia. La vita di tutti i giorni infatti è completamente diversa da quella a Shanghai “sempre accelerata, in prima linea, facevamo qualsiasi cosa ci venisse proposta”. Dal punto di vista lavorativo e personale crede che avrebbe dovuto rischiare di più e optare per un percorso diverso da quello intrapreso, molto coerente con i suoi studi.

It was a roller coaster ride but a memorable one and I learnt a lot from my internship in Beijing. I made some great contacts whilst in Beijing, and had even managed to get in contact with the CEO of my company who had coincidentally studied the same undergraduate course at Leeds as myself. This was my first time in the Far East but I was able to adapt and adjust to my surroundings and embrace the Chinese way of life by the end of my internship. I made friends relatively quickly with the others on the CRCC Asia program, who came from different corners of the world and lived together in the same apartment complex for 2 months. We all become really close by the end.

Having the chance to live and work in China is an experience of a lifetime and something that many now believe, with the growing influence of China within the corporate world, will be beneficial to anyone’s personal development and career prospects.

Working in an international environment has given me more perspective in relation to the way businesses operate and the importance of networking. I’ve been able to improve on my Chinese language skills and I was able to leverage my experience in China to get my foot through the door in corporate law back home. Working in a Chinese firm, I felt like the environment had a very communal feel – everyone was there to look after each other. Don’t be afraid to talk to people – especially your colleagues. Everyone wants to get to know you so if you approach them and say hi – they can show you around and it’s so much more fun to have friends at work.

The staff at CRCC Asia were helpful in terms of suggesting a location and informed me that Shenzhen was a good location for those involved in the legal sector. I applied for my own visa through the Chinese embassy in Ireland as I did not want to send my passport abroad. I was assisted by CRCC Asia in obtaining a letter of invitation from my host company etc. CRCC Asia never hesitated to telephone if you requested and they tried to help in any way they could. I would particularly praise some of the staff who helped me when I had an issue with flights and the travel agent wanted me to pay more money!
My internship in Shenzhen, China was unbelievable and one month was not enough for me. The independence was a great new experience and the fact that it was in a place so alien to me, made it ten times more valuable. I feel like I gained a lot in that one month and I am more confident now in terms of travelling and living alone etc. I would strongly advise anyone considering a CRCC Asia programme to do it!

I chose to do an internship in Beijing with CRCC Asia as a free elective through my university and I have not been disappointed. I was given interesting tasks at work, regularly socialised with my co-workers & other interns and did a great deal of sightseeing in the month that I was there. The time absolutely flew past, I was always busy experiencing something new which ultimately contributed to my new appreciation of world culture.

Doing an internship with CRCC Asia is a great stepping stone to enter the workforce in a foreign city. It is made relatively easy for you by the fact that your visa, sim & business cards and accommodation are all organised for you which means you spend less time doing the tedious essentials and more time exploring personal points of interest. If you want to experience a new city in a foreign culture half way around the world and gain some industry relevant skills along the way, then this is the internship for you.

The assistance CRCC Asia provided for me throughout the whole process was invaluable. Their assistance ranged from providing a full pack of Shenzhen essentials such as a topped up chinese SIM card and a Shenzhen metro card, which are very important for daily life. They also provided a great introductory meeting which provided a valuable insight into Chinese culture and the nuances and differences compared to life in the UK, while also highlighting important concepts such as Guanxi and Mianzi. The leaving ceremony was also very informative, with tips on how to work in China in the future as an expat. Internship in Shenzhen through CRCC Asia has been a fabulous and enlightening experience for me. I was able to immerse myself in a completely different culture, visit exquisite surroundings (such as Zhuhai, Macau and Hong Kong) and the chance to experience life working for a Chinese law firm was invaluable and will stand me in great stead for my future career. Therefore, I highly recommend this program

The main motivation for wanting to work in China is because of the future potential of China. China is the world’s second largest economy and the scholarship gave me the opportunity to experience and understand in more depth Chinese business culture. This insider knowledge will make me stand out to future employers. Many companies look favourably on internships, and the fact that I undertook an internship in Beijing, China shows that I have a global outlook.

This experience has been invaluable for the future. It has only made me more certain in my choice to work abroad once I graduate. An internship in China has also made me realise the opportunities that are present in China. Gaining exposure to the range of start-ups, and seeing first-hand the rapid development of many SMEs in Beijing has shown me the potential for entrepreneurs and careers in Beijing. This experience also showed me the necessity of independence and self-driven motivation.

Beijing was a fantastic city to internship in. I undertook a two month marketing internship in Beijing with a private healthcare provider that had clinics across China. During my internship, I was given quite a lot of responsibility which was fantastic! I was responsible for event management, content creation, reviewing website architecture and competitor analysis. The one thing I loved about my internship was that I was treated as a valued member of the team that contributed a high standard of work. My work colleagues were also very welcoming, inviting me out to lunch and helping me if I needed any translation.

When looking back at my two month internship, it is an experience I will value for the rest of my life. I had quite a heavy workload over the short space of time but it gave me the transferable skills and experience that I wanted to have on my CV. I would highly recommend anyone at university or who has graduated to apply. Experiences like these are valuable and hard to come by.