We did a quick Q&A with an accomplished internship supervisor who has been working with international interns as long as we have! It’s always interesting to see our programs from various points of view, so that we can give our students the best insights possible.

Here’s what she had to say about working with interns and how they play a part in company objectives as well as company culture.

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1. What type of company do you work for and how long have you been working in this industry?
I work for a non-profit organization in Castellón, north of Valencia. We work with underprivileged communities, national and international projects, and many youth campaigns and projects too. I have been working in this sector for more than 20 years.

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2. Why are internship students important for your company?
Our company is fuelled by innovation, investigation and quality input. International students bring fresh ideas and willingness to contribute and support our projects. They receive necessary experience in areas like international relations, human rights, and international communications, while also enjoying the work environment.

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3. Do you think internships are important for career development?
I think they are very important for students because it is a great step from theory to practice in their chosen field. They can understand how the theory is applied in real life situations and understand the benefits that come with helping communities like the ones we work with.

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4. How much experience have you had working with international interns?
I have been working with international interns for 16 years! It has been a great experience for me to meet so many young professionals from all over the world and good for our business development also. It makes the work environment more diverse and open which is great for the company culture.

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5. What are the advantages of working with international interns?
They give our organization different points of view, we like to know how things are thought and done in other cultures and the exchange is great. It is useful for us when we look to develop our methods and projects.

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6. Are there any difficulties taking on international interns?
We must be very aware to possible culture shocks that is why we are very careful with it. We also understand communication barriers and so we are very welcoming to new cultures and we can all speak English and help them with their Spanish too!

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7. What advice would you give a student who wants to take an international internship?
I would say for them to be patient, to be be open minded and enjoy differences trying to learn as much as possible.

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8. From your experience, how can international interns benefit from the experience?
An international experience is a new challenge, they open their mind, learn and have a great change inside. They are faced with new cultures and so they are trying to understand other points of view. They don’t come back being the same – they will surely grow a lot!

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Stay tuned for more Q&As with our partner companies and organizations right here in our EUROACE Blog.