One of the best ways to see the world is to either work or study abroad. This way, you see what the world is really like as opposed to how it seems when you’re a tourist. You learn about the culture, language, and history in a way that you couldn’t otherwise achieve.
However, this does involve quite a few moving pieces to be able to pull off an international program. In this article, we will go over one of the important steps when you decide to get an internship abroad, namely, how to pick the right city.
If you are in technology
The best way to identify a city to do your internship is simply to look at the location that is more widely known for a specific specialty or industry. For example, if you are in technology, and more specifically robotics, then you will want to head to Asia.
For instance, Tokyo, Japan is the place to be for robotics as there is a huge concentration of companies that are on the cutting edge of robotics technology. There is a considerable investment in this area from the government so there will be high demand for these companies to continue with their work. If you choose to go to Japan, there will be some challenges that you have to overcome and it is important to do some research and preparation prior to going there. There are usually organizations that can help you adjust to the new environment and culture such as a company like Beyond Academy internships Tokyo that works on setting you up with an internship and offers to do the leg work for you.
If you are looking into more general STEM-type jobs then an internship in a German city like Munich, or Berlin might be of interest. This is where there is a great start-up culture and where the focus is more on the programming side of things. Data science, the Internet of Things (IoT), and automation are also technology areas that are highly developed and offer interesting opportunities in Germany.
For finance jobs
The two major centers for global finance are New York and London. Since you are looking to do an international internship or study abroad, it makes sense to focus on London. London has long been a financial capital and a place where there are many openings for internships with financial institutions and banks. There are many benefits to considering London including English is a primary language for those who are fluent in English as well as becoming familiar with financial regulations and practices there as well as Europe. Many global financial institutions have an operation in London and this can be helpful in landing a job when you graduate.
Another logical place for international banking is Zurich, Switzerland. They are known to be the world’s bankers and have a tradition of neutrality. It may be harder to get an internship there as things can be a bit insular and you may need to network to know of any openings. However, if you end up going there, many companies in the financial industry are interested in hiring someone who has an experience in Zurich.
For creative jobs
New York City once again pops up as a center for creative jobs such as design and advertising. However, for those that want to work abroad then Berlin, Milan and Paris are also great places to think about when looking for an internship or study abroad.
Berlin is a hip city and is on the cutting edge of art and design from architecture to media art. Artists are drawn to Berlin for its avant-garde attitude and companies that look to bring in a fresh new perspective to art.
For those who are more interested in fashion, there is no place like Milan or Paris. These are the center of fashion and home to many of the world’s top fashion houses, designers and shows. Living in these cities can be inspiring to those with creative minds as well as a fun place to learn and absorb European culture.
In summary, when considering an internship or study abroad program, one of the key steps is to decide on a location that is a good fit to your major and career objectives. By going to a place where there are lots of opportunities for the type of job or industry you are interested in, you can then end up with an invaluable experience and a leg up on landing a great job after graduating from college.
