Shanghai Internship Program | CRCC Asia

In October 2018 I began a 2-month internship programme in Shanghai with CRCC Asia. Having just returned from China, I am now looking forward to beginning an internship in January 2019 with a London-based organisation.

My host company in Shanghai was a non-governmental organisation (NGO) which specialises in providing legal advice and expertise to other NGOs, both domestic and international. During the internship, my primary role was conducting research across several different topic areas, including foreign NGO law, social enterprise regulations, disability rights and animal welfare protections. In particular, I carried out research on laws in the UK and US in order to inform comparative legal studies between China and other countries. The internship significantly developed my legal research skills, and also provided me with experience of conducting research in a professional environment. As a result of this experience, I have decided that legal research is an area that I want to work in in the future.

During the internship, I also liaised between my host company and their partner organisations in the UK. I became particularly interested in the work of one London-based partner, A4ID, and have since secured an internship position with this organisation as a result of my experience working with them through my host company. The internship in China has therefore directly helped me reach the next step in my career by providing me with invaluable networking opportunities. My next internship will also involve legal research and I am looking forward to bringing the research skills I learnt during my internship in Shanghai to my new position, and developing these even further.

One particularly memorable part of my internship was a community law event which I attended with a colleague. The purpose of the event was to inform members of the community about the work of the local people’s court. I was interviewed by a local news channel about my thoughts on the event. The interview was broadcast as part of the event’s coverage on the local news channel and their website. Appearing on a Chinese news channel was certainly something I didn’t expect during my internship, but it was an interesting and memorable experience!

I would certainly recommend the CRCC Asia internship programme in Shanghai to graduates looking to broaden their international experience. I have found the internship to be a huge talking point in interviews, and potential employers have been genuinely interested to hear about my experience of working in China. For me, it has been critical in progressing my career and ensuring I reach the next step in pursuit of my professional goals.

The program helped me with employment because it added to why I stood out as an application written terms, then later a candidate in subsequent stages too with increased confidence. I got offered another job towards the end of my internship.

During the interview, I was able to talk about transferable skills I gained such as Facebook Advertising, which I currently apply now in the role. It was

CRCC Asia have great team members within their Shanghai staff who are kind, engaging, and funny. Also, I liked the sector-specific knowledge imparted through 5 key learning objectives.

Shanghai is an awesome city with loads to do and they actually arranged a variety of events for us to attend and take part in at regular intervals. The Chinese language teacher was one of the best I have ever had.

My internship with CRCC Asia was not only a valuable professional experience, but also an enlightening opportunity to see life in a different corner of the world. I was fortunate enough to work for a small environmental company in Shanghai, which finally enabled me to feel like I was making a difference in a field that I cared about. I conducted research, wrote reports, assisted with translations, prepared company contracts, and collaborated on a number of other company projects, all of which undoubtedly helped me prepare for a career in the 21st century. I would highly recommend this experience!

Through CRCC, I was able to gain experience in a Chinese IT company. The company itself has seen huge success offering blockchain and cryptocurrency related services, and the department that I was placed in offered me the opportunity to gain meaningful development experience in this dynamic new field!

As part of CRCC’s “Intensive Mandarin” program, the experience that I gained in my Mandarin courses that preceded my internship were absolutely invaluable in helping me to make the most out of this experience. I was able to learn from my peers about IT, language, culture… So much more than if I would have just gone in on my own. CRCC helped me set myself up for success with my host company.

As a result, I’m walking away from this experience able to come back to live and work in China, and utilize the skills in data science and machine learning that I continued to develop this summer!

My experience in Shanghai with CRCC Asia is one I am very grateful for. The opportunity to live and work in a culture so vastly different than my own is one that very few people get to experience. While the hustle and bustle of Shanghai is not something I was used to, I ended up loving the fast paced culture I was immersed in. Not only have I boosted my workplace skills and employability but also my life experience. The memories made are some that will last a lifetime as they were once in a lifetime.

Being immersed in a completely new environment provided me with a sense of discomfort which allowed me to develop my personal character as well as change my approach to problem solving and question answering. This new environment allowed me to focus on my weaker points and helped me to put forward any ideas, and observations that I thought would be of relevance. I believe it is true that at times of discomfort people grow into a stronger person once they manage to overcome whatever obstacle may be present. In China, there were many boundaries and times where I felt discomfort yet I never lost hope or gave up. Learning new skills and techniques in China has shown me different ways to approach my personal education while I finish my studies at the University of Canterbury. The Chinese are firm believers of balance, my manager taught me that it isn’t about studying yourself into the ground on one day and relaxing for another, instead it is important to split your study and relaxation time in half. For example, for every hour spent studying, spend 30 minutes to an hour relaxing afterwards as a reward. This helps keep motivation levels high and avoids the crash of spending long hours studying non-stop.

I chose CRCC Asia due to the range and quality of companies CRCC could provide. I definitely feel I was placed within a relevant company. Additionally, the other activities CRCC organised and offered whilst out in Beijing sounded really good and would give me the best chance to meet lots of people and take part in amazing experiences. Some of the events I took part in were: an acrobat show, Mandarin lessons, a Man City v Arsenal match at the Birds' Nest Stadium and numerous nights out to local bars and restaurants. The pre-departure drinks evening in London was also great for meeting fellow interns before heading out to China a few weeks later.

Whilst interviewing for my first job (as a Project Manager in a bank) as well as a few others at the time, talking about my internship was amazing. It made me stand out to employers and in a few interviews it ended up with them asking me all about my time in Beijing more than anything else! During interviews I found myself having a lot more interesting situations to call upon and refer to, as well as finding that the interviewers seemed a lot more interested in my answers to their questions. Since becoming a teacher, I really feel the confidence and life experience I gained in China has really helped me become successful in my job and be able to tackle any problem in front of me (since after being lost in a massive city where no one understands me any problem doesn't seem so daunting!!).
Professionally, my confidence in dealing with the unknown and being able to improvise in any situation was improved. I also gained my first experience working with international clients and having to adapt quickly to different working styles and cultures.

Personally, my confidence was given a huge boost by this adventure. After returning home I was immediately more motivated to go out and make things happen for myself, not as afraid to put myself out there and take (calculated) risks.

This trip has also gave me the travel bug, since 2012 I have travelled to more than 20 countries and have no intention to stop anytime soon! Prior to this trip I'd never left Europe, yet here I was preparing to work in one of the most contrasting countries to my own. I also began learning Mandarin prior to my internship Mandarin (which I am continuing to this day) and being able to experience and use the language first hand was excellent for my progress.

It's really hard to pick a favourite moment from my trip! I was mesmerised by the vastly different culture and spent a lot of time interacting with my work colleagues and locals in order to immerse myself in their way of living. Beijing is a fantastic city for seeing ancient history (Forbidden City etc) as well as sparkling new architecture (CCTV Tower etc) and I loved being able to experience both, sometimes within metres of each other!

My advice to future interns would be to make the most of every opportunity. You never know how contacts made in a random meeting in the middle of a massive city like Beijing could have a positive effect on your future. Also, enjoy the best of both worlds during your internship; take on everything possible during your working day, challenge yourself and test how far out of your comfort zone you can go. On the other hand, after work, enjoy everything amazing places like China has to offer. Try the strange food, talk to the locals in an unfamiliar language and visit the fascinating landmarks around you. Even to this day I am still not over how amazing my time was in Beijing and my friends and family will tell you, I'm still not finished talking about it quite yet!!

I interned with CRCC Asia in Shanghai over the summer of 2014. Three years later and I am still seeing the benefits of my experience!
I had always wanted to go to China - plenty of my friends had travelled South East Asia but few had been to China so it seemed like a great place to go to get something different for my CV. Shanghai in particular is such a vibrant city. There's always so much going on so you're never stuck with nothing to do! My highlights included lazy afternoons in the markets and the parks, and further afield I will never forget camping on the Great Wall!
I chose CRCC Asia primarily because I valued their professional approach to the internship. I wanted professional experience as opposed to simply travelling. I also got a lot from the business seminars and mandarin lessons that CRCC Asia provided - it was great to have something extra to talk about in interview that showed that I hadn't just partied whilst in China!
When I arrived in China I made friends for life, and three years later am still regularly in contact with many of my Shanghai friends. All CRCC Asia interns are serious about their futures and passionate about their careers. We all quickly found common ground and made not just friends for life but also a professional network that we often rely on on the year's since Shanghai. It's also great to be in contact with other CRCC alumni at the events that CRCC Asia put on throughout the year. Our China internships are the common ground and it's fantastic to be part of a network of such successful and driven people.
I interned with Riviera Events. I loved my internship, getting experience and responsibility that I couldn't have imagined receiving in the UK. The most important transferable skills in my career since China have been: problem-solving, adaptability and confidence - China really threw me in at the deep end, I learnt to think on my feet and adapt to a new way of working but more importantly be confident in putting my ideas forward. It's great to be able to have examples from China to evidence these skills to future employers. Since returning from China I got a job within a month of being home. My employer was really interested in my experience in China - in the company, it was a country that few people had been to and less had worked in. The team valued my different experience and knowledge.
My advice to anyone thinking of interning in China is that it is a fantastic investment in your future. It shows you take yourself and your career seriously and are able to take on challenges that not every graduate has the courage to do. You learn so much about yourself, the World and your area of employment. And you genuinely make friends for life!

Having spent two years as an investment banking analyst in London- I had come to the conclusion a career in finance wasn't for me, so I decided to look at all possible options of a 'career reset'. Upon doing some research I came across CRCC Asia and the opportunities they offered for guaranteed internships.

I felt this was the perfect fact to try a marketing role- despite having no previous understanding or experience in the industry- and also to add an international dimension to my CV. During my initial advising telephone conversation, I outlined a long-standing interest in the airline industry and the advisor mentioned they had just secured a partnership with airline host company and that I could be put forward for a possible internship in their marketing department.

The entire process was professionally handled, and whilst I was made aware they were no guarantees with that specific company- it was great to know that CRCC Asia would ensure I was placed in one of my sectors of choice. It completely eradicates the most stressful aspect of job-hunting- the process of finding and applying for jobs!

About 4 weeks before going to China, I was informed I had successfully been placed at the aforementioned airline- and it happened to be Virgin Atlantic! I was extremely impressed by the strong placement and the fact it was also within the marketing team (as per my first choice).

When I arrived in Shanghai- it was for the Feb 2013 intake- so there were fewer participants than the summer- but if anything this made the experience even more rewarding as all of us got to know each other a lot more and became a very close knit group. In total there were about 15 participants - mainly from the UK, Australia, and the US.

Socially, the experience was unbelievable. Outside of work, the group went out at the weekends, explored the city, took day-trips to Hangzhou and Suzhou, and generally become inseparable. Everyone has their own personality, but the best thing is that everyone is like-minded. We had all given up jobs/studies in our home country to come half way around the world to explore a new and different culture! And fundamentally this made it such a joy to spend two months with people who to this day (4 years on) I still consider many of them my close friends (our 'China crew' still has it's dedicated WhatsApp group- and we still meet up regularly to remember the experience - and the oh so many stories!)

On a professional basis, the experience was equally rewarding for me as I was given an insight into the variety of projects and campaigns the Virgin team were involved in. During my 2 months, I was involved in several Virgin- sponsored events including the Shanghai F1 Grand Prix, Shanghai Fashion Show, and James Bond Skyfall Exhibition (where I got to meet the Bond producers!). From the event-management side, I was also given the project of organising a dedicated Scottish-themed event for 50 of Virgin's agency clients to launch its new routes to Aberdeen/Glasgow- the autonomy of this project had me sourcing suppliers, venue, arranging the actual on-the-day logistics, and working the London marketing team to ensure relevant PR. Alongside this, I was exposed to day-to-day implementation tasks for Virgin's high profile 'Flying in the Face of The Ordinary' campaign- whereby I learnt how digital and physical marketing channels were tailored to a Chinese audience. In addition my time at Virgin coincided with the airlines 'April Fool's' PR prank- whereby the airline claimed to have developed a 'glass bottom' plane- and my manager was responsible for launching the PR aspect of this in China which got picked up by CCTV and reported as a genuine news story - thus generating worldwide attention! Overall the work experience was invaluable in terms of its insight and the fact I got a glimpse of the various marketing strands of a major organisation.

Throughout the program, CRCC Asia also organised various events for us - notably a KTV and dumpling-making session, which to this day my friends and I still talk about! Whilst I needed to rely on the CRCC Asia team for support- I always felt they were there and available if I ever required them. The communication on the ground between the team and the participants was clear but not overbearing- which meant participants still had a sense of independence without feeling patronised.

Overall, I cannot speak highly enough about the experience. For some, the biggest issue will be the funding concerns- which is totally understandable, but if you can secure the funds it's such a great experience - socially and professionally- it's something you will never regret.

I went to Shenzhen through CRCC Asia my sophomore summer of college with the intention to gain business experience as well as practice Chinese. My expectations coming in were completely surpassed from the internship, the great apartment, new experiences, and amazing people I met.

I signed up for the 2 week business course and I highly recommend taking advantage of that opportunity. I was able to get close with the 12 other students in the business class and learn about different types of professions and businesses in China. We had 2 speakers a day that ranged from learning how Uber sets up new locations to creating a startup and working with Chinese suppliers as a foreigner.

The course offered great networking opportunities, which is how I got my internship at Omate, a startup that makes smart watches. I was able to grow professionally as well as make an impact on the company themselves. My days were filled with practicing Chinese, coming up with marketing ideas, creating a website, and modeling the smart watch. This experience made great conversations and gave me an edge when interviewing for competitive internships my Junior summer.

On top of the professional experience I gained, I really enjoyed all the activities CRCC provided outside of the office such as dinners, Chinese classes, art classes and karaoke! I also loved the independence you are given, you truly feel like an adult living and working in China. I highly recommend this program!

I interned abroad in Shanghai in the summer of 2015. Shanghai is an incredible city to live in, and I consider myself extremely lucky that I was able to experience it. I have CRCC Asia to thank in part for my experience.
Because I am a Communications major, CRCC Asia doesn't have an internship program specifically catered to my major. I was nervous beforehand that they wouldn't be able to find an internship that matched what I was studying. However, the company I ended up interning with was perfect. The company I interned with is called Shanghai Premium, and is a talent agency that is in charge of commercial directors, producers, animators, etc. Through them, I improved my research skills, my journalism/writing skills, and even learned Photoshop for free! All of these skills I used later in life, and were very helpful to me in the job-search process.
The people in CRCC also helped me throughout my program. They were available via phone and email whenever I had questions or concerns. Once when I was really sick, a member of CRCC helped me find a taxi back to my accommodations, and bought me medicine to make me feel better. I really felt that the company looked out for me.
Long story short, I fully recommend this program.

I participated in the Spring 2016 internship in Shanghai , China. As a nursing major I was placed in at a local hospital. This experience allowed me to experience healthcare in China and will allow me to be a more culturally aware nurse. The staff at my internship were really nice and really took me under their wing. CRCC staff took us to our first day of our internship and I thought that was really helpful. I would recommend interning in China with CRCC Asia.

My friends and I decided we wanted to travel to one of the most complicated cities in China to reach. We took over 10 modes of transportation to reach our end destination. The longest mode being a 10 hour overnight train, not in sleeper cars. I have never become so close with a group of people as fast as I did on this adventure. I will never forget the people who stared at me on the train, that yelled at me in chinese, and the few people who spoke English that saved our souls.

Fantastic all round experience (work experience, accommodation, CRCC support, social life, alumni network - 9.5/10)!

Shanghai provided me with invaluable investment banking work experience; I gained finance/analytical skills, and a network of friends and colleagues that gave a major boost to my career.

Outside of work, there was lots of fun to be had while partying hard and making the most of the Shanghai nightlife, all while sharing great times with a diverse group of international friends.

Great experience, great people, great fun...go for it!

Although there were some things about the program that weren't ideal (I personally was lucky but a lot of my friends didn't have very good internships) the overall experience was amazing.

From eating weird and wonderful foods (chicken feet, brain, bull frogs to name a few), to exploring the crazy city that is Shanghai, it was a fantastic trip. Every day threw something new at you- I even ended up in the Shanghai Psychiatric Hospital helping as an interpreter for a patient.

A bit of a culture shock, Shanghai isn't for you if you don't like crowds, but if you can cope with a population of 20,000+ on your doorstep then go for it. You'll never be bored.