Marketing Internships in Cape Town

I’ve cherished my time in Cape Town and am immensely grateful for the incredible experience provided by VACorps. When I was searching for gap year programs, VACorps stood out as the perfect blend of freedom and support. After spending 2.5 months here, I can confidently say I made the right choice. Upon arrival, the VACorps staff ensured our comfort and readiness for life in this amazing city through thorough orientation. Even after orientation ended, the staff remained accessible for questions and recommendations. I appreciated the balance of working in an internship while also having the opportunity to explore Cape Town during our Friday activities. This experience taught me a great deal and fostered my independence. Cape Town offers a plethora of activities, and I found myself stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things. Moreover, I formed meaningful connections with fellow students, thanks to the orientation and shared living arrangements. Their support and camaraderie added immeasurable value to my experience. I did my internship at a marketing and brank management company. It was very hands-on, and not only did I learn a lot, but I felt like the work I was doing made a meaningful contribution to the company. I was given opportunities to work directly with brands and go to real life events to shoot content. I enjoyed seeing the posts I made on the different brands social media platforms. The work environment was wonderful, and I felt very included and a part of it. My supervisor was very supportive and made time for us to check in everyday, which was very helpful. I owe much of my personal growth, lifelong friendships, and unforgettable memories to VACorps, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to others.

I would recommend interning with VACorps to anyone who wants hands-on experience or wants to find their direction in life. On my first day as an intern I was given clients and accounts to work on, but I wasn't allowed to make coffee. It's backward from the typical internships I had in the US and it was a welcome change. I have a much better direction for my career and the experience to match. I've worked with a variety of clients and have made very helpful connections in my industry. I know a lot of the people in the program were happy about having the on-ground support and the staff was so incredibly friendly. The VACorps activities showed me sides of Cape Town I wouldn't have bothered going to, but I'm very happy I did. I highly recommend VACorps to anyone looking to explore new cultures and gain work experience at the same time.

I'll never forget the moment when I told my mother I intended to go to Cape Town to participate in an internship. She was terrified something might happen - and scared because she always worries about me! I'd never traveled alone and hadn't been away from The Netherlands for more than three weeks, so this might help you to better understand the worries of my mother. Luckily, there was VACorps waiting for me in South Africa! I received little support from my home university in The Netherlands so I had to organise everything myself. Well, that's what I thought I would have to do. I don't know how I would have ever made it in Cape Town without the support of VACorps! I arrived on a Wednesday but only started my internship the following Monday. The VACorps staff immediately invited me to join their Friday hike and it was a nice opportunity to get to meet new people! And that is exactly what happened— I met many, many beautiful and kind people through VACorps who became more like a big family to me (including the VACorps team). The VACorps program is located in Observatory, a trendy and young area in Cape Town where there are a nice variety of bars and restaurants. Most of the students I befriended through VACorps were living in this neighborhood as well and after a few weeks we scheduled weekly dinners together and spent a tremendous amount of time exploring the city in our free time. Next to meeting all these nice people, VACorps was a huge support when it came to my marketing internship. It didn't matter what was on my mind or where I needed help, they were always there for me and help me! I'm Dutch and by the time I finished my internship, I was so much more of a confident English speaker and now feel like I'm fluent in the language! I was also very, very happy VACorps introduced me to Cape Town by giving orientations. These are very informative sessions where they tell you all the in's and out's, the do's and don'ts, cultural differences Because of VACorps I experienced so many different sides of Cape Town. Their weekly program activities are not mandatory but I bet you will participate in every single one of them just because it is so much fun! The best weekly activity was on my birthday when we went sailing in Table Bay Harbour and enjoyued a beautiful sunset together on the water! Another highlight was our trip to Cape Point, something you wouldn't easily do yourself if you don't have a car. Besides these weekly activities, VACorps also organizes special trips! I was lucky enough to join the Cederbergs trip, which was three days of goofing around, having braais, going on hikes, swimming and jumping off of cliffs and camping under the brightest stars I've ever seen. This was definitely my best weekend in South Africa! If you're reading this review because you are thinking about going to Cape Town, just know that I am extremely jealous of you. Don't hesitate any longer and sign up! People told me it's hard to say goodbye when you have to leave. I thought it would be okay when I left but I have never been more wrong. Cape Town will steal your heart. Be careful and enjoy every - single - minute!!

I'm not going to lie, my first few days in Cape Town were a bit of culture shock. I was a little overwhelmed and didn't know where I was safe and what I was supposed to do. Now that I am leaving after three months, I feel stupid for ever feeling like that. It was harder than expected to adjust to the Cape Town lifestyle. but now I am scared to go back to the United States. VACorps made me feel so welcome and the Bus Tour was a great way to see the city and be touristy for the day. It is such a good way to meet people and create a group of friends that live in close quarters with you. It was nice to not jump into the internship right away. You have a few days to get comfortable, move into your room, see Cape Town and get to know Obs. My internship actually helped with adjusting to Cape Town. It was nice having a schedule and routine. I was lucky enough to work Monday-Thursday so I was able to attend almost all of the Friday VACtivities :) I really enjoyed the Friday events because we did things that were on my bucket lists! It is nice not having to pay for it and having something scheduled for you. It was nice because you have the freedom to choose what events you are interested in. You are not forced to go. So if you would rather do something else that day, you can. VAC was there for you when you needed them, but also gave you plenty of freedom to do what you wanted. I liked having VAC to ask questions and to have a support team. Don't worry though, you get from VAC what you want. They can set up trips for you and are just all around helpful! Cape Town is honestly the best place ever. It is the most beautiful scenery I have ever been around and I am so sad to be leaving today. I will miss the people, the vibes, the hikes, the adventures, and everything that is Cape Town. During your time here, take risks. Do things you never dreamed of doing. Comfort zones do no exist here. I have been skydiving, bungy jumping, and shark cage diving and I want to do more. Some may say I'm an adrenaline addict, I say I am taking advantage of every opportunity. So make the most of your time and say, "YES!" I'm jealous of anyone coming to Cape Town for an internship because I wish I could stay longer. I loved my internship. It was honestly the perfect match. You can choose if you want a lot of coworkers or not. I worked with about 7-8 other people at a digital marketing firm and they were the chillest people. I gained so much professional experience and was introduced to the marketing world. After this internship I have a better idea of what I want to do after school. I loved everything about my internship, VAC, and Cape Town!"

Ah, where do I start! Well, probably by giving huge credits to the VAC staff and everything they did for me. No effort was too much to make my stay in South Africa a truly memorable experience. The team is super supportive, friendly and accesible, yet undoubtedly professional. My internship was a true learning experience, and the combination of a great internship placement with extensive support from VAC and other interns made for me to get superb grades for my placement semester. Special thanks to Program Director Oliver, how even taught me how to surf and thanks to Vanessa for being an amazing host on the Garden Route trip I went on. Amazingly enough, I got another chance during my studies to do an internship. I tried to find reasons not go to the same country, same city, same internship program. I couldn't find a single one. So I extended my joyful experience through VAC with another graduation placement in which I wrote my bachelor thesis. Again, I was astonished by the city, the people, VAC, everything. This winter, my parents were so eager to understand a bit of my Cape Town love and booked a family trip there. Guess what? They're hooked too, and planning on going again next year. So, you may ask? Well. The best part of this is that I'm not alone in this. The amount of friends I have that are hooked to South Africa is reaching over a hundred. So I want to end by warning you: Beware of VAC, you might get yourself hooked! ; )