If you’re interested in a career in international development, one of the first steps you can take is to participate for international development internships abroad. This experience will provide you with critical insight into the sector and whether it’s right for you, all while building your resume and helping you to develop the global perspective necessary to work in this sector after graduation.
Interning abroad will be the adventure of a lifetime!
International Development internships attract students from many majors, so you will also grow your personal and professional networks while making lasting relationships. In addition to the professional experience you will gain, you’ll also learn the skills to successfully live abroad, work in multicultural environments and communicate with people of diverse backgrounds. Check out these nine reasons to intern abroad:
Why do international development internships abroad?
1. “Develop” your own perspective on development
What does development mean? It may not be something you can completely understand just from studying in a class. While your professors and academic studies can give you a solid backbone about the history, issues and current state of development around the globe, only by visiting will you really start to connect the dots. Working abroad will give you your own perspective on international development and what it means for different people, communities and cultures around the world.
You will probably find that the answers you find, and the questions you ask, vary greatly in different communities. Doing global development internships abroad gives you the chance to think critically about real issues and, most importantly, come up with real solutions.
2. Build your resume
Sustainable development internships abroad are a great way to start building your resume while you’re still in school and gain practical skills that will help you in your career. It can be challenging to have experience before you have a lot of experience, but an internship is a stepping stone, providing you with experiences, the opportunity to learn new skills and the chance to add valuable bullet points to your resume.
Adventure and building your resume at the same time?! Yes please!
Whether you are working with other interns, staff or community members, you also have the opportunity to make professional connections. It will be exciting to see how you support each other and stay in touch over the years!
An international internship adds even more value to your resume: it shows you’re willing to think big, try new things, step outside your comfort zone and that you have the ability to work across cultures or languages.
3. Put your skills into practice
You’ve studied the vocabulary, taken the tests, and you think you may be interested in a career in international relations or development abroad. Now it’s time to take what you learn and put it to use by working for a real organization and achieving real results—all while wow’ing future employers with your resume featuring international development internships abroad.
4. Make good use of your time
Between classes, work, and a social life, it often feels like there’s not much time left over to gain experience in your field. There are opportunities to participate in internships abroad all year long, in different parts of the world. Many organizations offer internships over school breaks, as well as longer-term positions, so that you can find the right position to balance with school, work and family life.
With the right balance, you’ll have a great internship!
5. Form part of the local community
A valuable part of sustainable development internships abroad won’t even be the internship itself—it’s the experience of living abroad and being part of a community. So much of development is tied to the real issues in people’s lives and the activities, challenges and celebrations that make up their daily routines. Learning about culture by living and working in a new city or country is part of forming your own nuanced perspective on international development.
6. Network globally
Whether or not you get hired after your internship, the connections you make with your superiors, colleagues and fellow interns will be invaluable as you take the first steps in your career. Your boss may be able to write you a letter of recommendation or connect you with other leaders in the industry, or you may find a lifelong friend in one of your peers.
7. The perfect program is out there
With global development internships abroad all over, you can choose from a variety of locations that will suit your professional needs or cater to your specific interests. There are also programs of varying durations to suit any schedule or timeline. Using resources such as GoAbroad can help you find the program that works best for you.
8. Practice the local language
Why not kill two birds with one stone? If you’ve been studying a language in school, international development internships abroad can be the perfect time to practice and challenge yourself by using the language in a professional environment. Learning to work in multilingual office environments will make you an attractive candidate for international development jobs down the line. And using the language on a daily basis, at stores, restaurants and just getting around, will sharpen your linguistic skills, no matter which field you decide to go into!
Plus, trying to communicate with people of another language and culture can be fun!
9. Try things out, figure out what you like, and get to know yourself.
There’s no way to know if a job is right for you until you try it for yourself! An international internship will give you a trial-run at a career to see if it’s the right fit for you. It may inspire you and set you on track to your dream job or it may open doors to other opportunities. Either way, you will have gained an unforgettable experience all while setting the foundation for your professional journey.
Next steps to finding global development internships abroad
Don't pack your passport juuuust yet. There are a few items on your internship to do list you should check off first.
- Decide when to go. Give your calendar a good-hard look and figure out what time of year—and how long—you want to live abroad as an intern.
- What type of internship do you want? There are plenty of different types of internships to be had abroad, it's just a matter of YOU deciding which field of study/experience you want to pursue. Popular fields include business and tech.
- Choose from the best intern abroad programs. Pay attention to past participants’ reviews, program/job reputation, location, and your ease of getting settled. Some providers may even provide contact info for past interns if you want the REAL dirt. Here's more advice on how to find the perfect program provider for you. Pro tip: You can use MyGoAbroad to compare programs side-by-side.
- Plan your finances. Sort out your ongoing funding before you go to afford daily essentials and splurge in travel (in addition to program costs and airfare). Do your research to have an idea of how much your day-to-day life abroad will cost, and get to work on learning how to pay for your international internship.
- Get prepared. Preparing to intern abroad is as fun as it sounds. With the days til departure number dwindling and your excitement boiling, it can be easy to overlook the details. Lean on us to help guide you through your pre-departure process—that's what we're here for.
You’re ready for sustainable development internships abroad!
You’ll have a blast!
Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or have never been out of the country, international development internships abroad will give you the experience to know if it’s the right career for you, and the skills to pursue it further. With more young professionals working proactively in the field, we will begin to see real progress and raised awareness in the fields of development and sustainability.
Human Connections is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Bucerias, Mexico, that works with local artisans and entrepreneurs, connecting them with international travelers through cultural tours and educational programs for students. Human Connections’ mission is to increase empathy across cultures and strengthen communities through responsible travel experiences.
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