CRCC Asia

I gained valuable work experience interning with a company specialising in mechanistic modelling for pharmaceutical development. Although I am studying medicine, I had no prior experience working in the medical or scientific research field, making this an excellent opportunity to learn within an innovative and rapidly evolving company that has already received global recognition.

I was initially challenged by being immersed in a complex research topic, but I adapted quickly and ultimately produced results that my supervisor was very pleased with. Beyond the professional experience, I formed lifelong friendships and had the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture entirely new to me, which contributed significantly to my personal and professional growth.

Last summer, I had a four-week internship with DKMedInfo (also known as SmartENR) with Alex, the CEO. Half of my week was working from home (WFH) style which allowed me to explore various cafes to work at like the aquarium cafe in Seoul, and the other half of the week was an adventurous journey both to-and-from the office, which was based in Suwon, and to many University campuses where we promoted the nursing AI company to prospective and current students. I had such a wonderful time, and I am visiting Alex again this August in Seoul, thanking him for the opportunity which has enabled me with experience working globally. This internship gave me the experience in working abroad, and has definitely inspired and assisted in obtaining my graduate job as a teacher in China this September. Working with Alex was an honour and a privilege that I only had because it was provided to me by CRCC Asia. Notably, everyone in the CRCC Asia community was well-informed on introducing us to Korean work culture (especially Tess, who accompanied me to the office building on my first day which was super helpful). Not only did Alex introduce me to new skills, he also introduced me to many local food spots he ate at as an undergraduate. He also drove me to amazing places like the Seoul National memorial site where he showed me the British soldiers that fought in the Korean War. When Alex needed somebody to print 400 copies of his AI company catalogue for a conference in Manchester that month, I took initiative; using my immense amount of luck (my dad used to work in a printing factory for 34 years, his only job and work qualification in a town with little opportunity) I managed to make this happen with this local printing factory, generating revenue for my local working-class town while also organising and managing the printing of these copies for the convenience of my boss (it is always good to have one less thing to worry about when travelling for a conference). I felt like I had been able to give back both throughout and after my internship. After my internship ended, I accompanied him at the conference in Manchester and showed him around my relatively local English city. Overall, I can’t recommend this internship enough. I have to highlight one factor though for CRCC to consider; this opportunity would not have happened without the grant provided to me by the Turing Scheme and the others (like professional clothing grants) from Durham University.

My experience last summer was completely and utterly unforgettable. Even though I had been to Kyoto many times before, this was the first time I went alone. From the moment I arrived I was kindly greeted by staff and transported to the hotel where we had a debrief and checked into our rooms. The staff provided us with suggestions of sites to visit, restaurant recommendation as well as how to get over the culture shock of being in a foreign country. All of this was very helpful and created a bond of trust and respect between us and the supervisors which set a precedent for the next 8 weeks. My favorite part of this trip was navigating the complex and expansive public transport system. I commuted to my internship and was fascinated by the level of engineering that went into producing seamlessly on time trains, and quiet rides. My internship was also a great learning experience where I handled international market research and business strategy. My supervisors at my internship were kind and inviting, even taking me out to company lunches. I immediately felt a sense of community from the CRCC staff as well as the employees at my company which gave me confidence in my transition to working in a Japanese business setting. I always felt like I could reach out to CRCC staff with any and all questions I had. I remember our coordinator, Christina Xenaki, even went with me on the first day of work to make sure I was able to find the right transit route and get there on time. Overall this experience was a great opportunity for me and left a lasting impact. I would (and have) highly recommend pursing CRCC programs to others.

This program was an amazing opportunity to explore Japan and its culture and experience while also gaining professional experience. Japan itself is a great location because of how easy and convenient it is to explore and how rich in culture it is. Being able to go in a cohort with other students was very nice to be able to travel together and build friendships. Interacting with the employees at the company was very valuable because they were able to give insights and recommendations as to what things were must dos while there.

Overall, I had a really good experience with the CRCC program. I didn’t love my first job placement, but the team was super supportive and helped me switch to a new one that I ended up absolutely loving. I really appreciated how they listened and made the change happen quickly. Definitely a solid program. I’d recommend it to anybody who is wanting to live and work abroad. Not only did I gain valuable work experience, but I also got to immerse myself in a new culture, meet amazing people, and grow both personally and professionally. It’s a unique opportunity worth taking!