International Trade Internships in South Africa

My internship became an experience that will always hold a special place in my heart. The team, working environment, and focus on creating positive change aligned closely with my own values. I especially appreciated the conversations with my colleagues, sometimes subtle, but always thought-provoking. Being surrounded by a dynamic and experienced team strengthened my confidence, shaped how I think about entrepreneurship, and left me even more motivated to put my skills to use. During my internship with a technology-focused startup, I was trusted with real responsibility and given the creative freedom to work on full-stack products for clients. One of my main projects involved building a digital dashboard for a nonprofit client using React, Next.js, and SQL. My goal was to strengthen my portfolio and demonstrate my technical abilities, but the experience gave me much more than that. It showed me how relatively simple technical solutions can create genuine value when they respond to real-world needs. The overall experience with VAC was seamless, and I could see how much work happened behind the scenes to make that possible. I am grateful for the support, trust, and opportunities I was given throughout my time in Cape Town. I leave with greater confidence in my abilities, a more refined perspective on entrepreneurship, and an even stronger desire to use my skills to create meaningful change.

Cape Town gave me the opportunity to explore both my professional goals and what I wanted from life outside of work. My Southern African background was a big part of what drew me here, and having fond memories of South Africa made me curious about what life here could look like long term. One of the things I appreciated most was finding a balance between my internship, social life, and personal interests. It taught me a lot about the routines and priorities that contribute to my own sense of fulfillment. During my internship with a financial technology company focused on improving financial inclusion, I had the opportunity to apply what I had learned in school to a real business environment. I worked with data to identify patterns and better understand some of the challenges limiting the organization’s impact. It was rewarding to see how analytical skills could be used to support a wider social purpose and gave me valuable insight into the kind of work I may want to pursue in the future.

My internship as a market and financial analyst was an excellent opportunity for me to gain professional experience dealing with real business needs and personnel. The submersion taught me many technical skills and built my confidence, which I am sure have helped prepare me for my future positions.

The Marketing & Communications internship in Sydney gave me the real life experience which I can tie closely to my studies, and this has helped me understand different topics more easily. The internship also gave me the practical experience I needed to help boost my CV (resume) for my later career, and better prepare me for my future. I enjoyed meeting many people from different cultures a lot. My host family accommodation was amazing; I couldn’t have asked for better.

I had such a wonderful experience working at a Whiskey Distillery in Dublin. The staff were all so genuinely nice and made me feel right at home. Rotating through the cafe, reception, and the back bar allowed me to understand all the different phases of a working distillery, and meeting the bosses was a great addition to the program. Dublin attracts so much tourism, I really enjoyed meeting so many different people from all over the world at my work. It felt like a true mix of diversity, which allowed me to learn so many unique things from everyone I encountered. I was also incredibly glad to use my Mandarin skills to help out. On my days off, I had the best time exploring Dublin, traveling around Ireland, and adventuring into other European countries. It was a beautiful journey both professionally and personally!

interned at the a private hospital in the operating room, where I observed the anesthesiologists and surgeons. This experience helped me gain a lot of insight in the healthcare system is like in a different country. I spent two months in Buenos Aires and it was wonderful with weekly events on the weekends coordinated by Brenda and Maru. Thanks to Connect-123 I was able to strengthen education and gain real life experience that will help me with my future profession.

Spending my summer in South Africa was one of the most rewarding decisions I have made in my academic journey. I grew in ways I never expected and left Cape Town feeling more ambitious, culturally aware, and excited about a future focused on helping others. VACorps placed me in an internship that closely reflected my goals, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity. Some of my favorite memories include learning about South Africa with a local university professor, going on safari in the Eastern Cape, and attempting to finish an entire Gatsby in one sitting. What I will miss most, however, are the people and the relationships I built during my stay. Cape Town is unlike anywhere else, and my biggest advice would be to appreciate every moment, the mountains, the people, and every experience in between. I already know I will want to return one day.

Connect-123 did an amazing job connecting me with an internship company that was similar to my interests. During my remote internship that was based out of Cape Town, I felt valued and that I played an important role in helping and shaping my clients and my company's future. My supervisor and his personal assistant were super kind, understanding, positive, and respectful towards me, and I felt very appreciated by them. Connect-123 did an amazing job of offering career-readiness tips and advice, including having three Zoom call sessions about developing different career-development skills that were very interactive and engaging. Carla, my program and internship coordinator, did an outstanding job communicating and helping me find an internship company that combined my values, interests, and career goals, as it was a very smooth process and transition. During my two-month internship, she would check in with me often, offer me advice, and be very supportive and encouraging to me. I highly recommend Connect-123 to anyone who is looking for an organization that will help set them up for career success.

I have had an amazing experience interning abroad in Barcelona. It was wonderful to see how passionate those at the non-profit I worked in were in regards to giving kids at the Casal a summer full of fun memories and connections. I got to learn so much from the kids I worked with and got to learn more about myself. Additionally, everyone from my host site to those in connect-123 were always really supportive throughout my time here, so not once did I feel afraid of being in another country so far from home for the first time!!

My internship at the University of Cape Town in South Africa was an eye opener to both research and a new culture. At my internship I gained new skills including RNA Isolation, PBMC Isolation, ELISA, MDM Generation, Graphpad Prism and much more. I was also able to shadow an endocrinologist at the Groote Schuur hospital which introduced me to healthcare outside of the U.S. Shadowing in a public hospital opened my eyes to what being a doctor really is. It was chaotic, stressful, busy, but it also showed me that people of the same community suffer from common conditions that are uncommon in the U.S. Outside of the lab and clinic, and I was also able to attend and assist at a research foundation conference here in Cape Town. Though this conference was focused on sustainability, I was honored to attend and learn more about how research expands around the world, bringing together different continents and countries for one purpose. Overall, this internship experience allowed me to gain a better understanding of what research is, but also what healthcare is like in a different country. If anyone is thinking about coming to Cape Town, I recommend seeing the “not so pretty” side and learning about the history behind the mother city. It really opens your eyes to something you might not have known before.

This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to spend two months in Barcelona interning at a foundation whose mission is to create transformative impact across the city of Barcelona not only for people in situations of vulnerability, but also for the volunteers who serve them. Working closely on grant management and volunteer coordination, I gained hands-on experience with the operational backbone of nonprofit work. As someone interested in public policy, this internship gave me a ground-level view of how policy and civic mobilization intersect in practice. I want to thank Sophie and Brenda, whose support made this experience what it was; guiding us, supporting us every day, and matching us to internships that fit us so well. This internship taught me so much about the challenges vulnerable communities face and the power of organized volunteerism to meet them. Working in grant management and volunteer coordination showed me how thoughtful funding decisions and resourceful organizing can translate directly into impact on people's lives. It opened my eyes to different ways of life and to a city deeply committed to mobilizing its citizens for good. Barcelona will always be a second home for me, and I'm so thankful to have taken part in this experience and gotten to know so many wonderful people along the way.

I had an amazing experience both visiting and working in Barcelona. I especially appreciated the events throughout the program; being able to make some friends from the States, as well as meeting good friends while working, was a great experience. I took advantage of my weekends to travel as much as possible and couldn't be more appreciative of this opportunity. Thanks, Connect, for a great time!

My Marketing & Communications internship in Tokyo (Japan) was one of my most rewarding experiences for my professional and academic journey. What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a new culture that I became deeply fond of while working alongside professionals who supported me in my career aspirations by giving me the independence and challenge to develop and lead work initiatives. This experience also allowed me to observe Japanese culture and develop an appreciation and understanding for their work ethic and respect that I will continue to implement in my future projects and in my personal life. Most importantly, this internship helped me confirm my love for traveling and my future career in international marketing.

I'm a current intern placed in Cusco, Peru through IVHQ, doing marketing and communications with a local organization. The process from application to arrival was clear and well organized, and the support has been genuinely responsive. When I've reached out, I've had the best experience with REAL people replying fast and actually being helpful. The placement itself has been the highlight: meaningful work, a great host organization, and an experience that's pushed my Spanish from conversational to fluent. If you're a student considering an internship abroad in Latin America, this is a legitimate and well run way to do it.

I truly wish I had spent the full 12 weeks in Ireland rather than only four. However, within that short time, I tried to fully immerse myself into the experience as much as possible. One of the things I appreciated most was that my internship was genuinely hands-on rather than simply shadowing someone the entire time. I was trusted with real responsibilities, projects, and problem-solving opportunities that allowed me to grow professionally and personally in ways I honestly did not expect. Before arriving, I had fears and uncertainties about whether I would be capable enough, experienced enough, or even if my age would affect how I fit into the program. Those fears quickly faded once I became immersed in the experience itself. This internship challenged me to adapt to unfamiliar environments, problem-solve independently, communicate within a new culture, and gain confidence in my own abilities. I was able to work on projects involving social media, marketing strategy, Google Ads troubleshooting, tourism promotion, and organizational systems while also learning more about Irish culture, history, and daily life. Personally, the experience had an even greater impact on me than I expected. Living abroad helped me become more independent, adaptable, confident, and willing to step outside of my comfort zone. It also deeply inspired me creatively as a writer and future author by exposing me to new places, stories, perspectives, and experiences. I am incredibly grateful that I took the leap and participated in the program despite my initial fears and uncertainties. It became one of the most impactful experiences of my life so far. If I were to offer one area of constructive feedback, it would be encouraging more visible student testimonials, experiences, and promotional content surrounding the program itself. Before applying, it was sometimes difficult to find detailed firsthand experiences or examples from previous participants, which initially made the program feel harder to fully research and trust from the outside looking in. Because of that, I think encouraging more students to share their internship experiences publicly through testimonials, videos, social media content, or alumni stories could greatly help future participants feel more confident and reassured during the decision-making process. Now having completed the program myself, I absolutely would recommend it to others and plan to share my own experience as well. I am genuinely grateful that I took the leap despite my initial hesitation, because it became one of the most impactful and transformative experiences of my life so far.

My Business Development internship in Japan was an incredibly rewarding experience. I enjoyed working alongside people from different backgrounds, experiencing Japanese culture, and contributing to meaningful projects that supported the organisation. The internship strengthened my communication, adaptability, and problem-solving skills while giving me valuable cross-cultural experience that will benefit both my personal growth and future career.

I really enjoyed Remote Marketing & Communications internship (hosted out of Japan) as the internship tasks that I did is meaningful to the host organization and me. This internship helped shape me into a better person, in terms of knowledge and skills. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

This was the best experience of my life. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in Argentine culture, meet many new people, eat amazing food, and learn so much at my internship working with promoting diversity and inclusion. Since day one, our coordinator, Brenda, was super communicative and very helpful throughout the whole trip. This was such a unique experience, and I will carry it with me forever!

I enjoyed my experience working remotely during my internship! I'm grateful for the support I received from Connect 123 and this experience gave me so much direction as to what I'm looking for in my future career.

My experience in Cape Town was great! Carla is extremely helpful and was always there for anything I needed. She made me feel so comfortable and taken care of. I also really enjoyed all the planned activities!