In September 2021, Aishah decided to boost her career prospects by joining the Virtual Internships program to complete an internship in green technology, sustainability, and environmental issues. She was matched with Perryman Technologies Research LTD, in the United States, to complete a four-month internship from her university campus in Saudi Arabia.
Not only did the internship enable Aishah to work on Business Development projects of thermal energy storage and production technologies, and expand her expertise beyond academic knowledge, she also gained an unbeatable advantage to take through into her career.
Talking about her Virtual Internships experience, Aishah wanted to share why she thinks work experience is so important for university students.
It is unquestionable that the world of work provides immense value to our lives. It offers financial stability through which we have better access to goods and better exposure to different fields of knowledge. It also plays a vital role in creating social connections within a professional environment.
Working adds a sense of purpose and usefulness to our lives. Work occupies our time with meaningful projects, thus avoiding falling victim to meaningless distractions. In terms of national benefits, job security not only promotes cities’ safety but also stabilizes the economy, leading to a thriving industry and a cohesive community.
For centuries of human history, humans have worked on developing tools that contribute to the betterment of our existence. With the increasing population, job opportunities have been growing to be more diverse each and every day. However, we still lack a sense of fulfillment when it comes to our ambition, and at times we find ourselves wishing to shift careers to expand our experience.
“Experience is an arch wherethro’ gleams that untravelled world whose margins fade forever and forever as we move” – Lord Tennyson
But, GenZ has a problem. Students need a job to gain experience but also need the experience to land a job. Work experience such as internships are one of the main ways to gain meaningful work experience but they are often difficult to secure without already having some form of experience, relocating, or having the right contacts.
Companies like Virtual Internships (VI) are the solution to a problem for GenZ that permeates the world of employment and the global business market.
Work certainly adds value to our overall life experience, but how about working abroad?
Working abroad widens our perspective as we get in contact with different people who we may not necessarily share the same values and background with, yet such disparity will help to extend our connections. When working in a foreign-speaking country, you have a greater chance of learning a new language and being more resourceful, in addition to improving your communication skills.
People who work abroad often describe their experiences as unique, enlightening, and life-changing. It should also be said that we learn better when we step out of our comfort zone.
As good as it sounds, working abroad may not be feasible for everyone, and that is when the role of virtual work becomes even more powerful than ever.
Virtual work encompasses a vast variety of benefits since it represents the future of work. Companies like Virtual Internships support underserved audiences by offering a transformative work experience in their chosen career fields and regions. VI is the only platform to guarantee an internship placement with an exciting global company, providing real-world work experience opportunities and the international expertise that employers are looking for in graduates, as well as offering high-end coaching for your future career.
Read More: Why Choose a Virtual Internship Over a Traditional One [12 Reasons]
Here we break down why you should choose a virtual internship over an in-person internship for maximum career success. Read the blog here!
Hear third-year Canadian student, Margaret's internship experience and how having international experience set her apart from the crowd.
Are you a Virtual Internships alumni? Do you fancy being paid to share your story with us and get featured? Yes? Then we’d love to hear from you!