1 - Why did you decide to do your internship in Australia?

Since I was 10 years old I wanted to come to Australia. Therefore, having the chance to be here for an internship was turning my biggest dream true.

2 - What made this experience unique and special?

This has been a wonderful experience because I've met so many amazing people from different backgrounds with different stories. Australia is truly a beautiful country with heaps of things to do around, amazing beaches, animals and experiences. My time here has been full of nice surprises.

3 - How has this experience impacted your future?

This has definitely impacted my future in the most positive way you could ever imagine. Living in a different country far from home can seem scary, but is one of the things that will stay with you forever. I have learned so much about parts of science I did not know before. Thus, I can assure my career has gotten a 100% boost with this internship and all the things I have learned here from both, my work and the people around me.

4 - What was the highlight of your experience?

The highlight of my experience is that I have made some amazing friends who I travel around during the weekends and we are always up to some new adventure or trip around Brissie. I am also an Open Water Diver by now.

5 - What advice you would offer someone considering interning abroad in Australia?

You should do it. Put all your courage in your luggage and come to Australia not only to learn and grow but also to evolve. It will be the best thing you will ever do.

6 - How do you feel Australian internships supported you throughout your internship program?

I have felt Australian internships support 100% of the time. Please now that paperwork takes time and getting your placement takes some months, but once you get it everything starts to change and the team in Australian Internships is ALWAYS there for you!

Why did you choose to complete an internship?

I’ve wanted to go into the medical research field since I was in high school but was unsure if it would be something I’d actually enjoy. When the year was offered in my university course, it seemed like the right time to get a placement to hopefully confirm what I wanted as my career choice.

What have you learned the most during your internship?

I’ve learnt so much during my internship. The main area was just how the industry actually operates. How to apply for grants, how to talk to donors, how to get your papers published etc. None of this I had even considered before taking a placement.

What benefits do you feel AI contributed to your internship and time in Australia?

They have been so helpful! I wouldn’t have been able to do this internship without them as I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking. Also, the intern nights are great. I moved halfway around the world and didn’t know anyone. Attending those nights gave me a chance to actually meet my IPS in person and meet other interns who are in the same boat as I am.

What advice would you give future interns?

Embrace every opportunity given to you and commit 100% to it. The rewards are going to be amazing. And don’t be afraid of failure or not knowing something. The whole point of this experience is to learn and grow, you are not expected to be perfect. 

What do you enjoy most about Australia?

The heat and the sunshine are definitely a plus! But also everyone is so welcoming and friendly it really is lovely to be around.

Why did you decide to do your internship in Australia?

The motivation behind my application for industry placement was to experience the working environment in Australia and get the practical knowledge so that I can easily articulate the theoretical part during my study period.

What made this experience unique and special?

Working a new environment with highly motivated and dedicated people was something that will inspire me beyond the Internship. The other important aspect of the internship was the challenging tasks assigned and the support given during the entire period of the internship.

How has this experience impacted your future?

The experience from the internship will improve my spirit of how I view work in terms of being professional. Considering that I was working in value addition and processing, I believe the experience that I have taken out of this will be very valuable going back home where we are still struggling with issues of quality management in value addition and processing among smallholder farmers

What was the highlight of your experience?

The high-level analysis of issues and people skills is something that I can take from this internship. The ability to complete assigned tasks and suggest solutions for improvement was one of the most satisfying moments during the internship.

What advice you would offer someone considering interning abroad in Australia?

For someone considering doing internship in Australia, the best thing go about it is to set your objectives on what you want to achieve at the end of the internship, and then do a research for a host organization that can help you achieve the set objectives. At work place make sure you engage and be willing to learn.

"I'm having the time of my life here! My internship place is great! It is one of the biggest dental hospitals in Australia. Everyone is keen to chat with me, giving advice for my future career and even inviting me to observe clinical sessions. I want to give credit to Australian Internships for finding this place."

"I have qualification of dietitian, so I wanted to experience something about nutrition and to improve my English skills. I had the opportunity to observe, talk and ask to residents and patients what is their nutritional problems, what they need. The tasks also helped me to develop my professional skills such as writing patient’s reports and making hand out and acquired lots of specific English words related to nutrition at the same time. This experience will absolutely help me, there were some differences between Japan and Australia but I was able to get many ideas of working, and I also got confidence."

"It was a great opportunity to be able to have work experience across multiple areas...My supervisor was very helpful in teaching me a lot about how the pharmacy management and merchandise team works in a company as well as telling me how is pharmacy like in Australia, including the system, the regulations, the legislation, the chief body, etc. I was then allocated to one of the biggest branched pharmacy store in Queensland where I shadowed and observed the work of a group of pharmacists and staff, gained some hands-on experience in dispensing and interacted with customers at the till."

“I gained further knowledge in medical terminology especially regarding bone signatures and dental morphology. I have achieved my goals in gaining professional experience and also made lasting friendships with academic students and colleagues. The internship  has given me practical professional experience within a workplace environment related to my educational field of biomedical science.”

"My name is Larissa, and I am a Biotechnology Engineering student from Brazil. I came to Australia as part of a Brazilian scholarship program, Science Without Borders, to study two semesters at University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and then complete two months of internship in an Australian company. I also came to experience the Australian lifestyle and explore this beautiful country, which has incredible places to discover.

The Science Without Borders program provided me an opportunity to join the Australian Internships program. They choose Australian Internships due to the previous successful experience with this partnership.
In my experience, the Australian Internship program was amazing. All members are very kind and caring about the interns. I felt very confident and prepared for my interview after the mocking interview I made! Also, they worked hard on getting me an internship related to the area of my interest. The program exceeds my expectations, and I’ve learned a lot and developed a range of skills.

During my semesters at UTS, I cursed subjects related to diverse areas to expand my knowledge and develop new competencies and abilities. Among them, could learn about nanotechnology, a field that university in Brazil did not offer. With this background, I could start an internship in Brisbane."

"Hi there!  My name is Emily and I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States.  I'm all about exploring and finding things you weren't looking for!  I am so incredibly excited to have had the opportunity to come to Australia!  Not only am I learning heaps from my internship, but I am able to experience something new and wonderful each day.  Every time I walk out the door, I have a first time experience, and I cannot express how lucky I feel to be in this position.

Although I am not planning on pursuing research as a career, the scientific process and troubleshooting that is practiced within the laboratory will provide me with a foundation in medicine while I pursue a career as a medical doctor.  Working in research is extremely complex, yet so rewarding.  Everyday I go to work, I am running trials and looking at results of things that NO ONE has ever seen before.  Each day is completely different.  I have had much success with my project pertaining to scabies disease thus far, and it is truly incredible to say that I have pioneered my way to some of the newest results pertaining to the disease. In the future, I plan on becoming a medical doctor, hopefully practicing anesthesia.

Though acquiring a new internship position can be quite intimidating, take each day like a challenge.  Try and learn or accomplish something new each time you go into your work space, and attempt to find a larger purpose that relates to you personally with everything you do."

"I had always wanted to travel to Australia, but I also thought it would be a perfect place to do an internship abroad because the culture shock is minimal - the differences between it and the U.S. are slight so it was easy to adjust. And the fact that the language is English was helpful.

The internship boosted my confidence and gave me reassurance that I am in the correct field. It taught me how to adjust to unfamiliar environments, and increased my communication skills. Traveling to a country alone can be daunting but I learned that just asking for help and talking to the people you're working with can make a huge difference.

My program also did some excursions - such as Blue Mountains and Port Stephens whale watching and those were amazing as well. It was great to be able to enjoy my work experience and enjoy my time being a tourist in an awesome new city!"

"I decided to come to Australia right after finishing my degree in Biology in the Basque Country. The main reason to do that internship was that I wanted to get some experience in the professional scientific world before trying to find a job. Another reason was that I wanted to find out what could be my future job. I also saw it as a great opportunity to improve my English level.

The internship is being very useful because I am learning lots of things, such us using the Scanning Electron Microscope, how to photograph specimens, IUCN Red list, some lab work and much more. 

I totally recommend anyone to do an internship and preparing it with Australian Internships. They work very well and they plan everything in advance with enough time.

Even so, there is always time to travel around and explore this beautiful country, get to know its kind people and know the Aussie relax and calm way of living."