CRCC Global Reviews

In summer 2024, I lived in Tokyo, Japan to work as the first Product Design Intern among engineers at XELA Robotics Co., Ltd. I learned how to navigate interdisciplinary conversations and had the privilege to immerse myself in a different culture for 2.5 months thanks to CRCC Asia, UO Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence (CMAE), and Freeman Fellowship. From a social design standpoint, I’m in awe of how Japan’s accessible public transport system functions with intricate maps, user-friendly signage, and considerate conductors and passengers who care about keeping the trains and buses clean, safe, and timely for everyone. Riding the train to sightsee, eat, play rooftop soccer, hike Mt. Takao, and explore the greater Tokyo area is what I miss now that I’m back in the car-centric U.S.

At XELA, I collaborated with an engineer and marketing manager to redesign an appearance model for USkin Protect, a fingertip housing a tactile multi-axis sensor for robotic hands and grippers. My design process involved brand analysis, staff perception research, comparative product analysis, sketching, 3D modeling in Rhino and SolidWorks, and reverse engineering.

I am very grateful for the learning experience and the core memories that I made with peers from Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Scotland, Ireland, England, Australia, and so on.

My Tokyo Experience was unforgettable and incredibly rewarding. I interned at J-Global, a startup that helps Western companies integrate into Japanese society and vice versa. This gave me unique insights into cross-cultural business practices and real client projects. I stayed in student accommodation with local university students, which was amazing for cultural exchange and building friendships. There were also well-organized social events that made it easy to meet people, explore Tokyo, and learn more about daily life in Japan. Overall, the program balanced meaningful work experience with cultural immersion, making it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to grow professionally and personally while experiencing Japan authentically. I’d highly recommend it to future participants.

Before I went to Shanghai, I had never lived in a big city, never interacted so regularly with non UK citizens as I grew up in rural Northern Ireland. From my initial application, the support from the CRCC Asia staff and the people I had the pleasure of entering with. This internship opened me up to a range of opportunities, increasing competitiveness in the job market.

I met some amazing friends, experienced a culture very unlike my own. I loved it, the food, the chaos, the working public transport. I had a fantastic time in Shanghai. It was a shock to move from the sticks in NI to a megacity like Shanghai, working in Shanghai tower. But it is an experience unlike any other. Take it, find out for yourself what China or any of the other locations open now are like. Incredibly worth it for the people you meet, connections made, cultural opportunities, the access to local contacts from day one. If you're looking for value, bragging rights, conversely valuable career procrastination that sounds like career growth (it definitely is though!)

Just do it. What's 3 months in the sum of a career? For me, very memorable, very worth it! The CV entry alone is worth a fortune, especially in an increasingly competitive graduate market and early in your career. Socially as a result of the programme, I've friends in Sweden, the Netherlands, Belarus the US and around the UK. Best excuse to travel is to see an old friend.

Funded by the British Council, I embarked on an internship in Shanghai, China as a magazine journalist for City Weekend, an ex-pat focused lifestyle magazine. Orientation before starting the job (which lasted 3 months) included lots of activities to meet my CRCC cohorts, setting up things like a bank account and SIM, cultural and social orientation to better understand Chinese business culture in particular, and free Mandarin lessons! The accommodation was in a good location in Pudong with all of my CRCC buddies and an amazing roommate (shoutout to Gavin!), and close enough to my office near the Nanjing Road by metro. The internship (which I sourced myself but received support from CRCC in navigating) was one of the best things I ever did for my career. The role involved reviewing michelin-starred restaurants, cocktail bars, events, and more, and was a whirlwind in both newsroom skills and the moneyed nightlife of one of the world's most exciting cities. Because of this opportunity, I have since gone on to work as a journalist in top-tier newsrooms at public broadcasters and private publications alike, and this experience has always led to a lot of very interested conversations in job interviews. Although I have since left journalism and now work in PR and political consulting, this internship also proved very useful for getting my foot in the door, especially since I have worked with PRC-based clients. If you are considering doing the CRCC thing, this is your sign to take the plunge and do it now! You will not regret it.

I interned with a digital marketing agency specializing in e-commerce where I conducted research and created decks and spreadsheets on brands in the Chinese market. I later went back to China as a part of an international masters’ degree program in Global Commerce and now work for a creative advertising agency back in the U.S. where my background has given me a unique POV on my clients’ business. I also think the personal growth and skills of resilience and cultural adaptability honed through CRCC and beyond has been foundational for my career growth over the last decade.

My legal internship with CRCC Asia took place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and here I truly experienced what hot weather feels like. Beyond the blazing heat, the practical work I undertook provided me with invaluable insights into the legal field. From the outset, I was introduced to the working environment and given tasks that helped me understand what a future career in law might involve. I assisted in drafting client emails, writing meeting minutes, and attending client meetings, all of which allowed me to develop practical skills and a better understanding of legal processes.

One of the most valuable aspects of the internship was the connections I made. Working alongside fellow interns from different backgrounds and experiencing a new culture together added tremendous value to my experience. The opportunity to interact with professionals in the field and learn from their expertise was incredibly enriching.

Overall, my time with CRCC Asia was insightful both professionally and personally. While the work I undertook did not qualify myself as an expert in my chosen industry, it certainly made me more ‘in the know’, adding to my confidence as I prepare to apply for future opportunities within the legal industry

My legal internship in Ho Chi Minh City was an incredible experience filled with learning, cultural immersion, and growth. Working in the vibrant city center was exciting! The law firm’s supportive environment and my amazing colleagues made working enjoyable, and I gained numerous transferable skills. As a foreign legal intern, I was able to help my colleagues by drafting and reviewing legal documents as well as researching different areas of Vietnamese law. Sharing daily lunches with them was a highlight as well. Beyond work, I explored HCMC and enjoyed taking part in events organised by CRCC, especially visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels and volunteering at a local dog shelter! Connecting with interns from diverse fields only added to the experience, and the welcoming nature of the people in HCMC left a lasting impression. This internship was more than just professional development- it was a culturally enriching adventure I will always cherish!

This CRCC Asia internship in the Kansai region was an invaluable experience.From completing my 1 month internship in Kyoto,Japan to the flexibility of being able to explore venture Osaka and Tokyo was amazing.Firstly, my host company (COGNANO),a biotechnology company, were very welcoming and to get past the language barrier I was assigned an English supervisor which was very helpful and a worry before I completed the experience.Whilst completing my work hours during the weekdays I was able to explore and took part in various activities during the weekends and during the Japanese holiday.

Some of the activities involved getting together with other interns on the program and delve deeper into the food culture of Japan with a food cooking class and others revolved around the history of Japan with visiting various temples and the earthquake museum(beautiful attractions might I add).

I was able to develop skills to further my career in my field of study engineering by getting first hand working environment experience and complete various experiments and learn the steps behind them and was granted the opportunity to be apart of a hsareholders meeting and see how they ran.

Overall,this program granted me a better insight of my field of study,working environments and allowed me to explore Japan (a country I’ve always wanted to visit) and understand the variety of historical and food culture that comes with it.

Although I was only one of two interns total for the winter term with CRCC, I couldn't be more grateful and happy with my experience. I learned so much, traveled a ton, and made some amazing long-lasting professional and personal connections/friends. Seoul is a full and bright city, but it is also possible to travel all around Korea even if you only have a short amount of time. I absolutely regret nothing and loved every second of my time, only wish I could've stayed longer since 8 weeks goes by insanely fast~

Spending my summer in Tokyo for an internship was an amazing experience. It was so much fun to explore a new culture, meet new people, and live in such an exciting city. CRCC, the company that organized the program, did a great job making sure we had a place to stay and helped us get around Tokyo. Overall, I had a great time, but there were a couple of things I wish had been better.

One thing I wished for was more organized activities for the interns. While we naturally made friends and hung out, it would have been nice if CRCC had planned more events for us to meet and interact. Another thing that could be improved is the professional aspect of the internship. For people looking for a serious and career-focused experience, this program might not be the best choice. The internship itself was decent, but it didn’t feel very structured or intense.