Many students opt to undertake internships in order to improve their chances of finding employment, and as an opportunity to gain practical experience in specific fields before beginning their careers.
However, those who can confidently say that they had an efficient internship experience are small in number. This, in part, many take internships without adequate information about a position, while some say that many internships do not offer much by way of experience needs for specific fields.
Here are details of some internships which are worth doing in your undergraduate days.
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| Interns are making a presentation based on team projects during the National Assembly internship (Korean League Of Women Voters) |
National Assembly
With the purpose of raising students’ interest and understanding of politics, and to foster next generation leaders, internships at the National Assembly occasionally makes available internship opportunities.
It is usually hosted by legislators themselves directly, posting a recruitment notice on the National Assembly’s official website or by the Korean League of Women Voters.
Interns assist aides or secretaries who are in charge of duties including, data investigation, data reviewing and preparing for parliamentary inspection.
They also receive training for legislation proposal through team projects.
“There are times when interns’ refreshing ideas gives practical help in putting out real legislative motions,” said Kim Sung-ok, the central chief of the federation.
During the internship period, quite a few students actually get hired as aides or secretaries, or at least dream to be one.
Consultation company
“The relationship between consulting company and client can be compared to that between a doctor and patient. It can pinpoint the client company’s problems, which can be difficult for insiders to spot,” said an executive who was an intern in one of the top three consulting companies in Korea.
In order to make an accurate diagnosis for the client, precise information analysis is essential, which is the interns’ main duty.
As accurate data analysis strengthens the basis of the company’s operations, and an intern’s job cannot be neglected.
“However, it depends on the interns’ capability of conducting their duties, whether to take part in practical working process of arranging for certain events or programs which are requested by the client,” said 24-year-old Choi, who worked at a PR consulting company before.
Though consulting company usually refers to ‘management’ consulting companies, it can also include ‘PR’ or ‘advertisement agency’ in the broad sense.
Architecture firm
An architecture firm is different from a construction firm, in that it is in charge of design and construction supervision of structures, which are to be built.
In Korea, Samoo, Changjo and Heerim are some of the well-known architecture firms.
The interns’ main duty is to draw the accurate design for blueprints, using computer programs and produce models — a miniature of the actual structure.
Surnamed Song, 26, who worked in a series of big and small architecture firms after majoring in the field as an undergraduate, said, “It’s also the interns’ share to make presentation materials, regarding the drawn design and blueprints, to explain those to the superiors.”
Meanwhile, though it differs according to the scale of the company, it is difficult for the majority of interns to suggest practical ideas, which have a direct influence on the company.
Apart from the opportunities mentioned above, other innumerable types of internships exist.
The more one is informed of the specifics and gets to experience a differentiated internship, the more efficient it will be in terms of apprehending one’s aptitude and choosing a career path as well as standing out in the process of getting a job, such as during an interview.
By Kim Yu-jin (kimyujin@heraldcorp.com)
