Getting your start in the global workforce can be challenging. The barriers students and young professionals face are different around the world. There’s no denying that some people face bigger challenges when it comes to international travel and work experience than others. That’s one of the reasons The Intern Group offers remote internships for talent from developing countries to gain hands-on professional experience.
Remote internships are an excellent way to enhance your CV and begin building a career, from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re hoping to someday launch your own company in your home country, or you aspire to live and work abroad, an internship is the perfect way to get started.
There’s no doubt that the world we live in is becoming more globalized every day. Goods, services, and professionals from every part of the world move seamlessly across countries, continents, and oceans. Most industries and nearly all major corporations and organizations have an international component. If you look at top companies like Google, Apple, or Microsoft, you’ll see they hire experts from around the globe. For example, Microsoft has employees in over 100 countries, and its headquarters in the United States boasts a diverse and well-rounded workforce.
Many economists and other experts agree that globalization has a positive impact on the economies of developing countries. In some cases, globalization increases job opportunities, frees up trade, and can help address issues like poverty and educational inequity. One positive outcome of globalization is that students and professionals can live and study all over the world – geography is no longer an issue.
What is a developing country?
Developing countries, also known as emerging markets, are nations with younger economies, usually categorized by lower gross domestic product, or GDP.
So-called “developed countries” or industrialized nations are certain countries with a high level of economic development. They usually meet a certain set of socioeconomic requirements. Keep in mind that terms like “developing country” and “developed country” can be controversial, because they don’t explain the historical context, and can make it seem like certain countries are better than others when it comes to career success, without taking into account the factors that brought them there. Some people may prefer to use alternative terms such as “industrialized” and “non-industrialized nations,” or “emergent nations.”
Today, with the impact of globalization, international work experience is more accessible than ever. Students and young professionals from as far and wide as Angola, Peru, Rwanda, and India can intern with elite organizations from major economies. Remote internships available in developing countries are many and varied, and they aren’t restricted by anything other than access to a stable internet connection.
The Intern Group places interns from hundreds of countries around the world. One of our most successful partnerships is with Aga Khan University in Pakistan. Through that partnership, medical students from Pakistan take on full-time internships abroad. The goal is to expand access to international education and to encourage cross-cultural immersion and understanding.
Check out the experience of two Pakistani students who took on internships abroad:
The impact of global experience
It’s a well-established fact that international experience is beneficial. And that’s true no matter where you’re from – whether you call London home or Mogadishu.
Studies from around the world show that nearly 100% of college students who study abroad are offered employment within a year of graduation. And, even better, those with international experience are likely to have a higher income than their peers. International exposure also leads to increased maturity, self-confidence, and ability to handle ambiguity.
Employers and university admissions boards look for a global perspective in an applicant’s profile to signal an excellent candidate. Unfortunately, that isn’t necessarily common. That makes it a great opportunity for students and young professionals to get ahead of the competition.
Research has revealed that a large percentage of businesses in the United States alone have had issues growing internationally because they needed employees with more international experience. Additionally, CEOs and founders often find that recent graduates don’t have enough real-world experience or international perspective when they apply for their first job.
There is, of course, one final benefit to global experience. And that’s the chance to develop friendships and professional connections. The professional benefits of building a global network are obvious. But international friendships are also incredibly beneficial. You’ll learn about another culture first hand, and maybe even get to learn a new language! Check out these 7 benefits of making friends from around the world.
How can a remote internship benefit employability?
Remote internships are excellent opportunities for students and young professionals of all backgrounds. No matter your level or field of study, a hands-on internship with a prestigious global company is a sure way to push you in the direction of a successful career.
Remember, you don’t have to be an expert in order to get an internship. The point of these placements is to gain experience and to prepare yourself for your future career. Many internships focus on developing transferable skills and depending on where you’re from, internships can also be an opportunity to hone your English language skills in a professional setting.
The Intern Group’s remote internship program offers professional placements in every career field you can think of. From marketing to data science and everything in between, we’ve got excellent opportunities.
Of course, certain career fields do require an academic or even professional background. If you aren’t studying engineering for example, it will be extremely challenging to land an engineering internship. However, there are a wide variety of opportunities for those who haven’t yet finished their degree, or who don’t have any prior professional experience.
For remote interns from developing countries, we offer a few excellent career fields in which to build up a strong professional base. These include placements with nonprofit organizations, marketing internships, and of course our most popular program: Business.
Our business placements are the perfect opportunities for students and young professionals from developing countries to build transferable skills. No matter where in the world you live, a remote internship could allow you to gain work experience with firms in London, California, Australia, or New York! Make sure to check out our other career fields to find the one that’s right for you.
Remote internships and the potential for change
Experts agree that the combined forces of technology and globalization are changing the way developing economies grow and operate. Remote internships sit at the intersection of those two forces and have the potential to create an immensely positive impact in developing nations around the world. The rise of virtual work not only makes a professional experience more accessible but also serves to bridge the skills gap that exists in the developing world.
When talented workers in emerging economies are able to develop and apply professional skills in a corporate setting, it benefits both their communities and the companies that hire them. In the past, students and professionals from developing countries often had to leave their home countries for a chance to climb the global economic ladder. Today, virtual placements are smashing barriers like visas and geographic location and allowing people from just about anywhere in the world to gain professional experience and mobility, without being forced to relocate. This allows countries and communities to keep talent at home, growing their own local economies without losing top-tier workers to other parts of the world.
Companies in all sectors are operating at higher rates in developing countries, and it benefits them hugely to have local, on-the-ground talent when it comes to training, working with distributors, and speaking the local language. Even companies that don’t operate in the Global South can now tap into a well of global talent from anywhere in the world, diversifying their teams and broadening their offerings.
Remote internships are also a great choice for talent in a diverse range of life stages. As a high school student, a remote internship allows you to gain experience while you’re still in school. University students, whether in their home countries or studying abroad, tend to be highly focused on gaining professional experience. A remote internship is a perfect way to ensure your employability after graduation.
But these professional placements aren’t just for students. People of all ages from all around the world can benefit from remote internships. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, The Intern Group offers remote internships for candidates from developing nations at a discounted rate. So whether you’re looking to make a career change or need some global experience to launch an international career, apply for our remote internship programs today!