Top New Zealand students and graduates are investing in their future careers by spending their summer on business internships in Asia.
The Asia New Zealand Foundation is supporting 11 students and graduates from around the country to undertake internships in Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam. They will spend up to three months working in companies relevant to their university studies.
Asia New Zealand Foundation business programme director James Penn says the internships are an investment both in the individuals and in the long-term capacity of New Zealand businesses to operate in Asia.
“We’re delighted to be giving these top students life-changing work experiences in Asia. They will gain invaluable understanding of the cultures of their host countries and insights into how business is conducted.”
Previous KPMG Vietnam intern Ben O’Brien, who works as a solicitor in Auckland and is a member of several professional networks with a focus on Asia, says his experience of a Vietnamese workplace expanded his horizons. “It showed me work practices in a different culture, which I have been able to use back in New Zealand with good results. On-the-ground experience is critical for building knowledge of business cultures.”
Business internships are a growing focus for the Asia New Zealand Foundation, which also funds programmes at BECA’s offices in Southeast Asia or China, Gung Ho! Pizza in Beijing, and Caravelle Saigon Hotel in Vietnam. The Foundation is currently advertising an internship at the New Zealand Consulate-General in Chengdu, China.
