Work experience a trying business

Some students disappointed in jobs but others report rewarding times

When some college students are savoring their summer vacation at home at this time of the year, indulging themselves in online games or soap operas, some of their peers are marching into a brave new world, struggling in an unfamiliar country to build their futures.

The Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales is probably the best-known agency to organize overseas internships for Chinese college students. During its 10 years in China, AIESEC has helped 6,000 students to complete overseas internships.

There are basically two kinds of internship with us - volunteer work and business-related work with companies. The duration usually lasts from six weeks to one year.

As internships may incur some costs, AIESEC usually charges volunteer interns 2,000 yuan ($317) a person and 3,000 yuan for business-related work, said Zhang Keyan, vice-president of the marketing and communications department of the Member Committee (National Office) at AIESEC Chinese mainland.

For the volunteer work, Zhang and his colleagues usually work with NGOs to promote local healthcare and environmental protection services in less-developed areas.

As to the business-related programs, they sometimes work with AIESEC's long-time partners such as the private educational service provider New Oriental Education and Technology Group to introduce overseas interns coming into China.

The students with AIESEC experiences are always given positive comments by their former employers. For example, AIESEC has frequently heard such comments from the world-leading food manufacturer Mars Inc, its long-time partner, saying that interns or employees with AIESEC experience are always armed with the necessary skills and leadership ability and usually seeing the world with an international vision, Zhang said.

Zhang benefited from AIESEC. Still a college student majoring in communications at The University of Nottingham Ningbo China, He is now taking a year off from his studies to fully concentrate on his current job with AIESEC.

"I know it may sound a little bit emotional to some people but I did not make this decision hastily. I was thinking of starting up my own business upon graduation so experience with AIESEC will help me a lot in my future career," Zhang said.

Zhang was once in India for two weeks on a volunteer program with AIESEC. The short trip helped to test the knowledge he learned at school. It also helped Zhang to understand the differences between nations. People will have a bigger heart if they see more of the outside world, he added.

According to a recent online survey involving 498 interviewees conducted by the Shanghai-headquartered private education company EF Education, about 61 percent of young people under the age of 28 have experienced studying or interning overseas, a quarter of whom are from first-tier Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

A growing number of young people hoping to broaden their horizons with overseas experience turn to agencies for help. About 18.1 percent of the interviewees opted for programs involved in cooperative deals with educational agencies and public schools, with those interviewed in Beijing showing the highest preference for such programs.

A total of 13.3 percent of the interviewees in Beijing chose this method to go abroad.

International internship programs have been very beneficial for our team. We learned how to teach and train our new members. Program participants have brought many creative ideas and concepts to us. This really improved our company's international strategic plans, said Li Dong, a senior manager at Shanghai Advertising Co, which is seeking long-term cooperation with Shanghai Foreign Service Co International Training Center for overseas internship programs.

However, it seems that overseas internships that agencies offer most involve menial work. Yu Hua, 22, who is majoring in business administration at East China Normal University, found that to be the case while working with Land Mark Rental Management Co in Wisconsin in the United States from July to October 2011.

Together with three other male interns, Yu was working at the Carrington Pub and Grill department. His job was mainly assisting in arranging wedding or conference venues the company took responsibility for, washing dishes and doing some cleaning. He was paid the minimum wage in the US then.That is, $8.25 an hour, said Yu.

But the intern job did not come cheaply. Yu paid 2,500 yuan in an agency fee and another 15,000 yuan for the program itself to Shanghai Overseas Affairs Service Center. He was also responsible for all airfares and living expenses.

"I was the most eager to be part of the overseas internship program in the hope of giving myself a clue as to my future. I was keen to learn about American society and universities. Of course it is also good to test my English proficiency in a real language environment and appreciate the beautiful scenery at the same time," he said.

Speaking of the benefit that the internship may possibly have on his CV, Yu was fairly ambivalent, saying that it would merely be an "unexpected bonus".

Working as waiters may not be that bad. Worse things have happened.

Xu Yun, 20, a junior student majoring in journalism studies from Shanghai International Studies University, went to a place she cannot recall the name of in the west of the US for an internship in 2011. The agency she sought help from is now nowhere to be found and is not even traceable on the Internet.

"It would not surprise me at all if the agency has shut down. It's like a slaughterhouse, if I may say so," said Xu contemptuously.

Everything written in the brochure and the now defunct website seemed great. It was arranged that Xu would first of all work as a waitress and then be taken around the US. It seemed value for money to be able to play and work at the same time, she said.

However, Xu hesitated when she was informed that the charge was as high as 15,000 yuan, excluding airfares, while most other agencies only charged about 12,000 to 13,000 yuan.

When Xu asked about their reason for charging so much more, they replied that the extra money would be used to help us land jobs in the US. She thought it would be good if they could really help in that way with that amount of money and said nothing after that," Xu said.

But things were not anything like Xu had pictured in her mind. She sensed there might be something wrong when she arrived at the airport and there was no one to pick her up or arrange for her accommodation.

"I do not complain too much about all the trouble we had taken to locate the small $7 a day apartment for four people which was promised by the agency. I was most outraged by the job we were actually doing in the US - washing clothes in a remote laundry shop.

"It was nothing different from working in a sweatshop. What's more, such a job needs no help from an agency. Laundries are hiring people all the time in summer," said she angrily.

She was not the only one to be cheated. More than 200 Chinese students working in a local chocolate factory were all deceived by overseas internship agencies to work there during the same summer vacation. But they were able to walk out or go on demonstrations, being so many. The agencies were forced to pay back all the money to the students and take them traveling around the US, Xu recalled.

It was impossible for the four of them working in the laundry to go on strike. Therefore, Xu quickly quit the job and found waitress work at a local restaurant, which paid her at $3 an hour. Together with tips, she could make more than $50 a day and made enough money for a two-week trip within 18 days of working," she said.

"I do not care too much about the 15,000 yuan, which was a waste of money. And I did not go to the US in the hope of adding something great to my resume. But what I am really unhappy with is the university's indifferent attitude toward such unqualified agencies scattering flyers or brochures around the campus all the time. They cannot just sit there and let it go on," she added.

Not all internships or agencies are so dodgy.

Zhou Zongmin, 22, majoring in radio and television science at Shanghai International Studies University, said it is possible to apply for overseas internships without the help of agencies.

Of course it will take some time and effort, but as long as you are willing to go through dozens of "want" ads, fill in the lengthy application form online, hand in all the required documents such as transcripts, writing samples and reference letters - hey presto! - you are put on the shortlist for overseas internship programs without being asked for a penny, said Zhou,

He was successfully enrolled into a three-month overseas internship program co-conducted by Georgetown University and WUSA television station - an affiliate of CBS television network via - called The Fund for American Studies.

He didn't pay an agent and was able to carry out hands-on work such as producing and purchasing pictures and videos and writing and editing news in the digital content department at the television station. On top of that he was offered a $3,500 scholarship.

Zhou did stand out from his peers, being top student in his class, scoring 107 out of 120 in the Test of English as a Foreign Language exam and getting the highest mark in English among all candidates for the 2009 college entrance examination in Shanghai. He says he was the only student from the Chinese mainland to be enrolled in that internship program.

"Washington is a place where power converges. As I am hugely interested in the US presidential elections and the political system of this country, it is the best place for me to build my social network. Moreover, I am thinking of studying for a media-related master's degree in the US. This internship can help to develop something," said Zhou.

"I did not apply for the internship in the hope of adding color to my future resume. If that happens, I would rather say it was the outcome of my internship," he said.

Zhou Qinnan and Li Xiuhui contributed to this story.

shijing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/30/2012 page13)