It is important for students to develop employability skills and gain real-world industry experience, says BRETT BERQUIST
The University of Auckland launched a virtual micro-internship programme to support the future employability of international students both in New Zealand and those studying with the University from overseas.
With an aim to support students in developing their employability skills, this initiative will help students gain real-world industry experience with leading New Zealand organisations.
Brett Berquist, Director International at The University of Auckland said: “This programme is just one of the many approaches we have taken to support our international students impacted by Covid-19. It provides an avenue for those who are still outside New Zealand to remain connected with their peers here and contribute to economic recovery. It’s great to see our students bringing their skills and global perspectives to the project.”
The micro-internship is a three-week programme involving around 20 hours of work per week, designed to accelerate the professional growth of students. Interns will work in small teams to tackle a business challenge for an Auckland-based employer. The programme includes an online induction and briefing session to get to know the team and the project.
Students can access all resources virtually through an online platform where they can connect with their team, access and submit documents, receive feedback from mentors, and then present their findings to the Auckland clients. Some of the previous participating companies include Deloitte, Grant Thornton, WSP, KPMG, Auckland Transport, Anxiety Trust NZ, and smaller Auckland businesses including Devonport Chocolates and Auckland Sea Kayaks.
The phenomenal success of this pilot, delivered in partnership with Global Talent Solutions, has led the university to scale up further by extending this opportunity to 500 students over two new rounds of the programme. The second round will commence in February 2021.