Using networks to access international internship opportunities

As the business world becomes more global, there is an increasing need for students to gain an international perspective and international experience. One way to accomplish this is through international internships. How do students access international internship opportunities? Networks play a key role in enabling students to obtain knowledge and advice, gain self-confidence, and access opportunities. This paper describes the networks used by four students from the University of Shanghai Science and Technology in China to study at the University of North Dakota, and then go on to do an internship with Ernst & Young, a prestigious 'Big Four' international accounting firm at their headquarters in New York City. The paper goes on the describe the internship experiences the students had and the benefits gained from the experience including increased self-confidence, communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills, and exposure to business in a different culture.