Biotechnology Internships in Cape Town

I chose to intern in Cape Town because of a professor I once had. He would always talk about how wonderful Cape Town was and how breathtaking the views were. Most importantly he talked about how kind and generous the people were. I have spent the last two months interning at a local biotech company, and I am so grateful for what I got to learn there and the new family it feels like I have. I am also appreciative of VACorps and how easy they made it for me to just come in and feel like I was part of something. I will never forget the people here or the experiences I have had and I will miss all of it. Cape Town is truly one of the greatest places I have ever been and I wouldn't change a minute of it.

The past three months in Cape Town have been nothing short of excellent. I went in with an open mind, as the internship was a little out of my field of work. I learned a great deal through my time as an intern, the first being coding. I was very new to coding but through some self-taught and help from the company, I was able to be a lot more confident in my skills. Also, I was able to work closely with the owner of the company, which allowed me to see how an Entrepreneur mindset works day to day. The culture and natural beauty of Cape Town and surrounding areas are absolutely astonishing. This city is one of the greatest scenes for outdoor activities as you have the ocean and the mountains all around you, which makes for great surfing as well.

I chose Cape Town because my brother Quentin had already gone through VACorps and loved it and had the time of his life. I really enjoyed my internship at the University. I learned numerous valuable lab skills and practices and would recommend interning there to anyone with a STEM major. I was able to grow my scientific background and knowledge, learned numerous lab skills, and how to operate new lab equipment I've never used before. I also learned a lot about the process of research in an open information research group and what needs to be done to follow protocol to ultimately get reliable data to publish. I loved how much there is to do in Cape Town, from the beaches to the mountains to the city. I learned to be more confident in myself and lean into who I am. I will miss all the people I met down here the most. I stayed for two months, and I would recommend that people stay as long as possible.

I was looking for a new start in life, so, after considering a lot of countries and a lot of options, I felt the best place would be Cape Town. I was 100% right. VACorps gave me the opportunity to work in a fantastic Hi-tech StartUp with amazing, smart people and brilliant mentors. I learned about new technologies and gained outstanding skills and knowledge. After 2 months of working there, my host site offered me an official job at their Cape town office, which I accepted! Cape Town is a city with a lot to offer. With endless outdoor options like hiking, going to the beach, wine tasting, paragliding, trail running, etc. The city also has an outstanding food scene and nightlife, which I thoroughly enjoyed exploring with my fellow program participants from all over the world. The VACorps Friday activities and weekend getaways were always interesting and fun. I am so grateful for everything that VACorps and my internship company have offered me. Being here was such an exciting experience, and it was totally worth it. I feel like I have achieved all the goals I set for myself before coming to South Africa and more. I look forward to returning to Cape Town soon, and making the "Mother City" my home for the next few years!

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