Summer internships lure expat youth
By Mona Rahman
For many youngsters, summertime is about fun, enjoyment, get-togethers and hanging out with friends in the malls. But for two Bangladeshi students at the Bangladesh International School, Jeddah, Saud Mirajul Aziz and Mohaimen Mohammad Kaisar, it is an ideal time to have what they call “the experience of a lifetime” by working as interns and attaining technical know-how at a multinational company.“I joined the internship program to become familiar with a professional office work environment,” said Aziz, who recently completed I.G.C.S.E in Jeddah.“Before my exams, I planned to join a training center in order to learn technical skills. However, through internship, I have the opportunity to learn two things: the office environment as well as technical work,” he said.Teenagers in expat families across the Kingdom, who have not gone to their home countries or elsewhere for the holidays, laze around in the summers, glued to a couch watching a movie or surfing the Internet at home.Kaisar said that he planned to do something unusual this summer.“I did not want to sit at home for three whole months. I wanted to do something that is resourceful … and then this opportunity came up. It was quite unexpected,” said Kaisar.Many corporate houses are offering summer internships that are attracting students in significant numbers. Aziz and Kaisar have enrolled in a three-month internship program, which started in June and will end in September.“I joined the company on June 28 and plan to diligently work for three months,” said Kaisar.Internships are increasingly being sought by young professionals as a means to become acquainted with the work culture.Through internships, students gain experience in different fields, establish contacts that are vital for networking, and receive letters of recommendation from professionals in the field. The other advantage of internships is that students gain work experience without permanently committing themselves to a specific field. “I felt awkward the first few days of work, but then I began to feel more confident. Initially, I thought that office environments were boring. Gradually I learnt that office work is not so boring if you know what you are doing. The best part is I get a coffee break every two hours,” quipped Aziz.Kaisar said that he was initially nervous being in an environment that “has almost no resemblance to school life.”“However, working with knowledgeable and friendly people, it was very easy to adjust to the changes. It feels great to work in a professional, high class, and a peaceful environment, though I miss the noisy and fun-filled classrooms,” he said.Aziz and Kaisar are learning different IT-related operations along with basic work ethics.“I am learning how to give basic IT support to businesses along with advanced computing skills. It’s a big deal working with a top organization at such an early stage of my career,” said Kaisar.“I am confident that the skills that I am acquiring now will help me to adjust to any office environment, and, moreover, help me to choose my career path,” he added.Asked about the nature of his work, Aziz said: “I am working at the IT Department’s help desk. When anyone has a technical problem, they call me and I help them solve it. I have previously worked as the company’s IT Assets Inventory. So basically, I am the ‘IT guy’.” – SG
By Mona Rahman
For many youngsters, summertime is about fun, enjoyment, get-togethers and hanging out with friends in the malls. But for two Bangladeshi students at the Bangladesh International School, Jeddah, Saud Mirajul Aziz and Mohaimen Mohammad Kaisar, it is an ideal time to have what they call “the experience of a lifetime” by working as interns and attaining technical know-how at a multinational company.“I joined the internship program to become familiar with a professional office work environment,” said Aziz, who recently completed I.G.C.S.E in Jeddah.“Before my exams, I planned to join a training center in order to learn technical skills. However, through internship, I have the opportunity to learn two things: the office environment as well as technical work,” he said.Teenagers in expat families across the Kingdom, who have not gone to their home countries or elsewhere for the holidays, laze around in the summers, glued to a couch watching a movie or surfing the Internet at home.Kaisar said that he planned to do something unusual this summer.“I did not want to sit at home for three whole months. I wanted to do something that is resourceful … and then this opportunity came up. It was quite unexpected,” said Kaisar.Many corporate houses are offering summer internships that are attracting students in significant numbers. Aziz and Kaisar have enrolled in a three-month internship program, which started in June and will end in September.“I joined the company on June 28 and plan to diligently work for three months,” said Kaisar.Internships are increasingly being sought by young professionals as a means to become acquainted with the work culture.Through internships, students gain experience in different fields, establish contacts that are vital for networking, and receive letters of recommendation from professionals in the field. The other advantage of internships is that students gain work experience without permanently committing themselves to a specific field. “I felt awkward the first few days of work, but then I began to feel more confident. Initially, I thought that office environments were boring. Gradually I learnt that office work is not so boring if you know what you are doing. The best part is I get a coffee break every two hours,” quipped Aziz.Kaisar said that he was initially nervous being in an environment that “has almost no resemblance to school life.”“However, working with knowledgeable and friendly people, it was very easy to adjust to the changes. It feels great to work in a professional, high class, and a peaceful environment, though I miss the noisy and fun-filled classrooms,” he said.Aziz and Kaisar are learning different IT-related operations along with basic work ethics.“I am learning how to give basic IT support to businesses along with advanced computing skills. It’s a big deal working with a top organization at such an early stage of my career,” said Kaisar.“I am confident that the skills that I am acquiring now will help me to adjust to any office environment, and, moreover, help me to choose my career path,” he added.Asked about the nature of his work, Aziz said: “I am working at the IT Department’s help desk. When anyone has a technical problem, they call me and I help them solve it. I have previously worked as the company’s IT Assets Inventory. So basically, I am the ‘IT guy’.” – SG
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