What position do you hold at The Intern Group? What has your career path been like so far?
David: I am Managing Director at The Intern Group. Before working in the educational and travel world, I worked as a fixed income salesman for Merrill Lynch on their London trading floor.
Before working in finance I completed an internship abroad and learnt Spanish at the same time. This was a transformative experience for me and I left the finance world with a firm plan to provide others with the wonderful experience I had of living and interning abroad.
What are the core principles The Intern Group strives to achieve?
Professional Development: At The Intern Group we offer internships in the best organizations. From major blue chip companies, across all sectors, to exciting and fast-growing entrepreneurial firms and small/medium sized businesses.
We have placed interns with Latin America's largest investment bank BTG Pactual, in the largest PR firm in the UK, Bell Pottinger, and even at the Olympic Games. We now count in the thousands our number of partner firms. In all our program destinations we back this up with a real focus on your professional development. This includes skills workshops, career advice and exclusive training materials.
Cultural Immersion: In all of our destinations we have a full time team from that destination. We don't just provide an internship. In all our destinations you will go far past the typical tourist sites, and start to see what makes the place tick. You will soak up the atmosphere and culture - we will take you to the must-see places.
Flexibility: Our programs start every month, all year round.
What does the future hold for The Intern Group?
David: We shall explore new and exciting destinations! Stay tuned as we have some great new destinations for international interns on the way...
What about an underrated intern abroad destination?
David: I think Colombia is an underrated intern destination. Outdated perceptions persist but there is a growing number of in-the-know travelers and economists who view this emerging economy as Latin America's rising star.
Students who get in now will see a booming economy and a lovely, warm, welcoming people. Not to mention the resume boost of working with a blue chip name in an exhilarating emerging economy.