Tell us a little about yourself. Have you ever interned/worked abroad?
Bob: My training is as a scientist but my career had been in international education, career services and internship programs. I myself have interned, worked and studied abroad, have travelled to over 200 cities around the world and am a firm believer in overseas travel and working abroad. I believe an international internship is one of the most useful things a person can do to boost their career prospects as it shows a real strength of character and dedication to professional development. My focus for Intern OZ and Intern NZ is providing a very strong emphasis on finding great internships and offering excellent support to the intern while on the international internship experience. Personally I love swimming, fishing, boating, cycling, walks in the bush and football and as I live in Wellington, New Zealand, can do all of them on a weekly basis.
What makes interning in Australia/New Zealand a unique experience for international interns?
Bob: Both Australia and New Zealand are incredibly beautiful and safe countries. We have an excellent work-like balance and internship organisations are very happy to host international students for internships and the quality of the experience is very high. We work with organisations in all sectors: Government, private and non-profit and having Intern OZ or Intern NZ manage the internship programme means we can organise internships which offer a very high level of work experience and provide a full set of support services surrounding the internship abroad experience, including accommodation, collaboration with academic supervisors to meet any guidelines for the internship. Airport pick-ups, events and emergency support and we place a strong emphasis on connecting all the in-country interns so they have an international cohort to enjoy Australia and New Zealand with.
What can you tell us about the workplace culture in down under?
Bob: The workplace culture in this part of the world is the same as any other developed nation. Turn up and do a great job, be on time, give 100% in the workplace and show enthusiasm for the role. What is noticeably different is the work-life balance. Although the job needs to get done, it does not come at the cost of life outside of the workplace. Another noticeable difference is that in this part of the world an intern would be performing many functions. For example, if they were in the marketing department here they may also have some event, communications or finance related work, not purely marketing. As organisations here can be smaller that compared to the USA, interns tend to get more of a variety of tasks.
What are some extra-curricular activities students enjoy while interning in Australia/New Zealand?
Bob: Where to begin. I just had my lunch break and cycled up a hill with some amazing views, then went for a swim at the beach. We are truly blessed in this part of the world with incredible scenery and great diversity and it’s incredibly accessible. Glaciers, beaches, mountains, surfing, fjords, volcanoes, skiing….the list of things to do is endless. Intern NZ and Intern OZ organise social gatherings and activities for our clients. Connecting you with your peers is a priority.
What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering this program?
Bob:Australia and New Zealand are very safe countries to visit so you can rest assured you will have an incredibly friendly and safe experience.