Calling All UK Students – GenerationUK Programme
We’re delighted to be working with the British Council China as part of the Generation UK campaign.
The initiative aims to encourage and support more young people from the UK to gain international experience in China. The Generation UK campaign will provide funding for our 2 month placements in the sectors we have available – see www.internchina.com/programmes/internships. Funding is available to UK citizens (British passport holders, including Irish passport holders for Northern Irish domiciled) enrolled at a UK university or a recent graduate from a UK university at the time of application. The British Council aims for over 15,000 UK students to participate in a study abroad placement by 2016, so there’s never been a better time to apply!
Here at InternChina, we have placed in excess of 1000 students in China over the past seven years with companies in industries from IT to Education and Finance to Photography. Because of our new UK office in Manchester, we’ve built strong links with all the surrounding universities, as well as those further afield.
Former Intern and MMU Student Joseph Fry left this comment after being placed in China through us – “it would have taken three years to accumulate the professional experience in the UK which I was able to accrue within 3 months in China”.
www.youtube.com/embed/e2MTSHnctW0
The British Council’s ‘Generation UK’ initiative indicates how highly valued work experience in China is, and the wide-spread enthusiasm behind the scheme means more UK residents can take advantage of the internships we offer. To discover if you’re eligible, head to www.internchina.com/generationuk for full T&C’s and the application process.
For more information you can either email our team at: info@internchina.com or call our Manchester office on +44 (0)161 8188823.
Hi everyone, I’m James from England and I have just started as an intern here at Internchina. This is my first blog and there will be many more to come, I hope you enjoy it! I am carrying on with this weeks theme of business in China, with a focus on 关系 （guanxi).
Most people who have spent any period of time in China will have come across this word, guanxi. The word “guanxi” is used to describe relationships in their many forms, be it between friends, families, businesses etc. In China it is seen as a particularly important concept in order to succeed in whatever you set your mind to; if you have people there to support you in this foreign environment then everything may become slightly more familiar and progress in a smoother way.
Unlike most things in China, guanxi is not something that can be purchased. It is a steady relationship built up over time. By working with people and cooperating together, you may slowly begin to form a bond (This is where being able to speak Chinese may come in handy!) Going out for meals with people you meet, taking them out for drinks, seeing who can drink the most baijiu (very strong Chinese spirits – about 40-60%!), you will slowly form a friendship which one day may come in handy with getting what you want in this foreign environment. You may be introduced to other friends and your contact base could expand tenfold. I assure you being a token foreigner in a Chinese group is an unforgettable experience, and if nothing else it can do great things for your self-esteem!
Networking in this way may be costly and time consuming, but it can also be extremely fun. The rewards you could reap from gaining a lot of “guanxi” will be completely worth the investment of time and money – it could put you in a very comfortable position when trying to find a job, or navigate your way through the Chinese red tape.
A crucial aspect of these relationships you form are that they work both ways. Having Chinese contacts helping you may minimise frustration and disappointment when trying to do business here, but you are also expected to give them something in return. A healthy relationship involves helping each other out in times of need: “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”. By doing each other favours your relationship should be long and prosperous!
Spending a period of time in China and working in a Chinese company is the best way to start forming these relationships. By working and socialising with many different people you will have a chance to form these special bonds, which could put you in good sted when trying to find a job in the future. The “guanxi” you gain from an internship in China could sort you out with contacts from across the globe – the world is your oyster!
To gain first hand experience of Guanxi in China, Just send us your application to info@internchina.com and we can help you finding an internship in China where you will have the chance to get to know the Chinese Business Culture!
Nimen Hao!
My name is Jack Fairhead and I am the new trainee office manager for InternChina’s Qingdao branch, Just started working at the office this week so this short blog is just to introduce myself but don’t worry, in the near future there will be plenty of more interesting blogs from me to read!
So, I am 24 years old and I come from the UK (Wales to be precise) and have just finished studying a Masters degree from Manchester University in Chinese business and management. Deciding to start my career in China (where better to start!?).
< – – – That’s me 🙂
After arriving early Saturday evening in Qingdao from a long and arduous 25 hour, triple flight, journey I met with the other InternChina office workers who proceeded to show me the delights of street bbq and the potent attractions of LPG bar. After which I stumbled back across the city in search of my apartment (which I had only briefly seen earlier that night), a few wrong turns, an angry old woman and 4 buildings later, I found it.
My flat is very modern and furnished, with a large bedroom (complete with airconditioning), living room (with a big tv), bathroom (with two showers!!) and kitchen (now stocked with noodles and cookies). These small comforts make it easy to live in such a new and alien city.
My first few days at the office have been very busy but I enjoy meeting new people and definitely can’t complain about my awesome fellow InternChina workers……
Or the weather and window view…
Can’t wait to get out and explore this amazing city and share many adventures with our interns!
Right, I think that’s enough about me for now but watch this space for exciting new topics!
I look forward to meeting all of our current interns soon and welcome any new ones to Qingdao in the future!
Zai Jian 🙂
Hello, I’m Balthasar Liu and I’m a newly-graduated student from college of foreign languages, University-Qingdao. I am major in intercultural German study, and have spent half a year in Bayreuth, Bavaria as exchange-student, where I became a rather good cook (courtesy of studying abroad). Once I made pizza (from dough kneading to baking) for my classmates there, and two whole pizza disappeared in less than 5 minutes.I was supposed to(and of course would gladly) continue my study next year in Jena or Nurnberg, Germany, which means I have a nice and long vacation till then. But who would spend such precious time just sitting at home doing nothing meaningful? Not for me! So I decide to experience the life that normal salarymen have: working from 9am-5pm and making money for housekeeping.
My first “job” was in a marine manufacturing company doing some translating and making contact with foreign clients. It’s quite a long way from where I live to where I work, I need to wake up at 6:30 am everyday for the time spent on road was about one hour. The work was rather interesting but I couldn’t learn more other than yachts and boats. Then one of my mother’s associate recommended me going to Internchina, said it could greatly improve my communication competence. And now, here I am, in Internchina, and I must say, it feels great!!! I can find almost everything I once dreamt of from work: free and relaxed office-atmosphere, kind colleagues and considerate boss. My daily work is to help the foreign students who come to China find accommodation such as homestay family or apartment, provide necessary help if anything goes wrong and offer them internship opportunities. I study intercultural communication in university so this is the best place for me to do what I’m taught for. When I was alone in Germany I can find many cultural shocks and stereotypes locals hold for us Chinese, and I’m sure same could happen here. And it will be my job to prevent cultural shock turning into misunderstanding. Feels like a lot of responsibilities and I’m ready for it!