International Trade


Internship in China

China Internship Placement was at the center of getting me a consultancy internship when I was looking for one. They proved to be worth my money. I am coming from a part of the world that paying to placed into an internship was unheard of. But when I was walked though the components, I felt it was worth it.

I joined a consultancy internship assisting one of the lead Associates with preparing analysis, writing final reports and presentation. I experienced work and life in a multinational organizational setting and deep insight about China from regulation and policy framework and brand survival. I gained a valuable insight into the art and business of consulting including corporate culture. I was added to Management Consulting Team and attended corporate meetings and Training Need Assessment (TNA) segments.

These exposures mean a lot to me because I learnt about project management which is essential to managing a consultancy. I got knowledgeable about how to run a consultancy and prospect for clients. My Experience Chinese approach to management always proved to be different from the west because there are cultural and societal characteristic pervasiveness. It is seen in their everyday life. When I was briefed about the bureaucracies of work and respect for the hierarchy, I though change is going to be different in Chinese companies but hey! there is always a way of going about it. Few rules, Never regard an employees, ideas and superior to his supervisor, never contact a subordinate before a superior, always keep an eye on the rank, do not request to meet bosses together with their subordinates. Interesting huh! When you observe these rules to the letter, and assure subordinates of complete cover, you will get all information needed for a training need assessment. The Essence and Value The job descriptions were very necessary to my future career and the 12 months that I stayed in Beijing was just like living the future in the present. CIP’s Entrepreneurial training was just superb!!! We joined China Accelerators, an organization that nurtures entrepreneurial ideas and are Venture Capitalists. In my opinion, Beijing is the best city to launch careers related to business related soft skills like consultancy, research, marketing etc because here is a heavy presence of Fortune 500 companies. I understand Beijing has the highest fortune 500 Company presence than any other city in the world because most of them interested in doing business in China, would like to be very close to the Government to get first had information about policy Changes. Networking was a very important program component I miss while at home now. On a typical networking evening, all CIP interns gather at an agreed venue conveyed to very executive programs to network with Business people. It is fun and was worth ht time too. The growth Process Performance appraisal was a very vital aspect of the internship and I loved it except the realities. In the first 2 months, my performance was not as pleasant as I thought. I was encouraged to work hard and read more and I was at my best thereafter. CIP together with my host company conducts performance appraisal on my achievements and very frank recommendations are made to keep me in check. I love it though it was very corrective. I will add my voice to the rest of previous reviewers that CIP is to be trusted and their programs are solid and the experiences are real. Professionalism and good work ethics as well as fast follow ups outclass any shortfalls. We have also vowed to be ambassadors for CIP.

Just as the famous Saint Augustine said, “the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page”. I found this to be true on my Internship Project with CIP. It is an account I would like to give and could never finish. I tried some of these into articles on some travel blogs, I wished my visa never expired and my family never keep asking me to come back home J after extending it for a month of jolly cruising ride and Tour.

I decided to do some internship in China after graduating from the university of Newcastle in Civil Engineering. Haven searching around for local jobs and getting frustrated, I decided to trip China to gain the experience that all employers keep asking during interviews. I am grateful my family did support this idea.

I chose CIP as an agent upon recommendation from a friend who once participated in this program. This experience probably had the biggest impact on my personal side. I′ve experienced coming to a city, I′ve never been, alone and being in a culture I haven’t met before. All this I think made my independent skills even stronger. Getting through the first week wasn’t very easy for me because of the unfamiliar. I don’t wish to portray here that it is the food I love, but my Welcome dinner with CIP staff was really an ice-breaking session.

I came for engineering internship in a well established Chinese company in Beijing for 6 months. I was arranged for 6 months internship, Language study and some business classes to know about Chinese business model since I was and is still interested in doing business in China. This company adopted very contemporarily and state of the art approaches to managing their company. They hired some foreign expats as staff and work culture was just like the west. It is amazing to see Chinese companies practice western approach to organizing while life after work is all about Chinese culture. The company sources contracts within and outside China and their reputation are solid internationally.

I was given a One-week orientation and training to fit into the department in Charge of Designing Intelligent Transportation Systems for countries and cities. They provide services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management. The department uses Information and communication Technology to plan transport networking. During my internship, I worked under a Supervisor who was ready to make me a real engineer. This was his promise to me on the first day I met him in the Coffee Yard.

I was happy for this opportunity because China despite its huge population has a well designed efficient transportation system which is worth studying about. The placement practically got me to know more.

I was involved in preparing bids for tenders and some project supervision tasks. I learnt and mastered How to prepare good bids to win international contracts. This makes me feel like a giant because I was never taught how to deal with this while in School.

I got to know how to use Emergency vehicle Notification procedures, How to development Automatic Road enforcements, CCTV systems and to use other Intelligent transport Technologies. I also learnt the basics of safety issues used to design the Chinese subway system.

Every engineer could judge how valuable this experience is going to be for me. CIP gave me a very wonderful supervisor who was doing a fantastic supervision.

No program is perfect and as such I don’t expect this to be very perfect. It took me a while to agree to the offer. My internship placement was changed twice before I finally settle for this one. I got frustrated in the process as I lost trust for the agency, but I got to realise that it is rather a stronger feature of their service because, the client have a say in deciding what eventually they settle for.

It is not easy getting paid placements for students in China when there are numerous young graduates willing to render such services for free. But to whoever is coming to China, I will recommend CIP as a sure way. Don’t miss it !!

There is this quote that my language tutor taught me which is “wherever you go, go with your heart” this is a quote from Confucius a very important figure in Chinese history. It is only when we do this that we will realise the full benefits of the purpose. Cultural shock is real!! Let’s get prepared as we go abroad for those expensive experiences that our own local companies are not prepared to give us.

Initially, I did fear that I would not meet expectations given the high caliber of the people and projects I worked on. However, everyone was more than happy to help me get up to speed and more. The challenge is there, but I don’t feel entirely on my own. This is my definition of a good internship". --Ann Leonard (Ohio University) I studied Environmental Science and Policy Management in Ohio University. Haven completed my First degree, I decided to gain a much intense skill dealing with serious projects. In the first place, no continent in the world is battling environmental degradation in the world than Asia. Asia is facing serious environmental challenges posed by aggressive economic growth. China’s most important city is no exception and for the past decades, Beijing has been suffering from massive environmental degradation including massive pollution. This sets the tone for my decision to intern in China.

I finally selected CIP to help with the placement and I was allocated to an organization with a mission to promote sustainable development and green growth. Headquartered in Beijing, they are the gateway for foreign cleantech companies to China’s green business and environmental market. They organize international conferences and outreach events, receiving and sending trade missions between countries, commercializing Chinese and foreign cleantech in China, and conducting research in sustainable development and green growth models. They also contribute to the discourse of influencing Chinese Green Economy Policies through a variety of lobby activities.

This is exactly what I was interested in so I did not waste much time before accepting the offer. My duty for the first 3 months was to conduct research and interpret results and prepare presentations for international conferences. Organize logistics for international conferences and during my internship, so many conferences were organized between Israel, Singapore, Spanish and UK governments and China. As the official organization in charge of green environment in China, we played a vital role in the delivery of these conferences. Out of these researchers and policy analysts, I was supposed to spot opportunities worth exploiting and write a proposal that is actionable. These are some of my personal contributions to the company.

Over the other half of the Internship, I plan travel logistics and schedule for business delegations to International governments and companies, Support visiting partners and on-site visits to clients; and also engage in some lobby meetings.

Why I am so poised about this internship is that I worked on famous international projects such as those funded by UNIDO, UNEP, China Green Carbon foundation and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. These experiences will live with me forever and I think my International environmental agenda will happen live!

For China Internship Placements, I entertained some doubts from the beginning. I was hesitant in paying so much to them, but this was later solved. I was not sure whether I was doing the right thing. I think that they should be able to offer a proper guarantee for such huge sums of money to be wired to them. This creates so much anxiety in the entire process and makes the preparation stage very disintegrated. At a point in time, I was made to talk with my supervisor and I tried so much due diligence but was not enough to satisfy my curiosity. I had to gamble, but I got it right if I had it wrong, I should be screwed for life! as my parents will not forgive me. I was also scared by the horrible stories that I read online about some other internship providers and this scared me about scam. I don’t know what CIP could do about it, but I think they must find a way of getting ahead of other providers so more students will know about their programs.

Aside that, CIP is a sweet family to join.

CIP’s program has been a great choice and an inspiration allowing me to explore my Finance Career. They are well organized and understand what is required to professionally support students while in China. Tried their Mentoring and Coaching and it was the best I could ever get

Name: Bonnie Kaki Cheng

Course: Bachelor of Commerce (Finance and human resource management)

University: University of Western Australia

Program: Internship - Financial Analyst

I am Happy to review my numerous accomplishments as a Finance Intern on the CIP Program. I was placed in Shanghai with one of the elite firms into Investment Banking and Cross Boarder Investment. I was excited because there was so much going on within the company which allowed me to first hand explore the details most aspects of Finance.

I worked directly with the Associate in charge of preparing companies for IPOs, I had the distinct pleasure of working with and overseeing a variety of initiatives and projects.

Right from the program design stage to execution, CIP remained very cooperative, supportive and professional in communicating with me and my friends.

On arrival, I joined the Company as a Financial Analyst Intern, though I did not have any first-hand experience in such an area, I was given a detailed training and on-the-job support. I was able to complete new and challenging projects at a professional level. As a financial Analyst intern, I was responsible for the financial evaluation and pre-audit work for investment projects. I also took on Evaluation Projects for IPO and OTC/NASDAQ clients. I assisted in the management and organization of Financial projects to assist senior analyst with investment Projects.

Working in one of the fastest changing sectors and within a fast paced environment, my supervisors were at the task.

Overall, the program is great and stands out as one of the best. I sat to compare the experience with other interns who were not on the CIP Program and I am convinced CIP have the best program in China

Supervisor’s Remarks We are impressed with her performance and can boldly remark that Bonnie’s work left a lasting impact on the department and places her into our top five outstanding interns we have had in the past years. We were impressed with her enthusiasm, communication skills and professional demeanor while on our internship program in China

China has been a life-changing experience and CIP could not be more helpful in the process. They are genuinely interested in helping out students achieve their goals. From the moment I step foot in Beijing, a member of the CIP team was already eagerly waiting for my arrival. The team had already planned out detailed itineraries on the first day such as: checking in to my accommodation, opening up a bank account and obtaining a Chinese mobile number.

Beijing was such a culturally rich experience. The juxtaposition between the modern towering skyscraper and the ancient Beijing hutong only a few blocks apart are a sight to behold. My first choice of city was actually Shanghai; however, I am glad that I made the switch to Beijing instead. China’s capital is full of surprises and there are plenty of hidden gems within the city’s small alleyways waiting to be discovered. While it may seem that Beijing is not as international as Shanghai, the expatriates and international students community are tightly knit thus it felt to the contrary.

Studying and interning at a startup firm in China was challenging yet rewarding. I was involved in the making of an international advertisement as a project manager and therefore had to use both the Mandarin language and the English language when facing with local or international clients. The most crucial aspect of my job was to understand both the western culture and the eastern culture; by acknowledging how they differ and by making sure that there is no cultural misunderstanding between the local and the international parties.

One thing that stuck out the most was how technologically advanced China has become. From renting a bike that's readily available literally on every street with the use of the bike-sharing app to paying a street food vendor using a QR code.

I had learnt more about myself than I did in my own country within a short space of 5 months. The journey I had in Beijing was invaluable and I encourage anyone who is considering studying, teaching or interning abroad in China to go for it and have a life-changing experience through the CIP Internship Platform. I am sure you will love it.

Michelle's China Internship Review

A properly researched and designed marketing strategy is the best requirement for any multinational organization looking to break boundaries to increase global market presence and revenue. Let any organization entering its multinational stage doubt this and they are reassured to fail 100%. I am confident about this because I had the opportunity to try and test this fact through CIP’s China Internship.

Let's assume that China is not an economic superpower but has just a mere 1.4 billion people and I will have still chosen it as a place of doing my Marketing Internship to gain international experience.

Going international to gain experiences is never cheap and will never be cheap. I decided to intern abroad but the reality dawn on me when it was time to pay for the entire project which cost me a 4 digit figure. I did what I could do just to remain safe, but my parents still doubt my choice but eventually, I took the risk.

The placement process was rigorous as I had to go through a 3 stage Interview one with CIP Placement department and two others with my host Company. It was a learning process which I never had in University. It was strange to me because I thought CIP had to do all those cover-ups. I have never heard that internships in China got that competitive and selective. In entirety, the process reassured me that this was a professional program and not another Chinese mass production factory.

I was finally placed into a renowned Marketing Research company based in Shanghai, China tasked with the responsibility of assisting the Market Entry Department. This is a team of 18 people doing different things. I am supposed to be part of the research squad and my role formed the basis of my superior’s task. Anytime, I make mistakes, he was definitely going to do same. Although I passed the interview, I panicked at this new job because this was my first major experience at doing any serious research aside School projects and my Thesis.

I was tasked with the responsibility of collecting information identified outlets such as super and hypermarkets, consumer agencies and other governmental institutions like Ports and Harbor Authority. This information was dissected and manipulated to get signals of the seasonality of demands, recent trends in demand and competition statistics. I did this on 23 brands from countries such as Italy, UK, US and Saudi Arabia. So what do you expect? I can just see mastery.

One major project which I managed and drove my motivation high was when I was tasked to collect consumer perception index for a Jewel Brand which was looking to expand its market share in China. I was appointed the head of the team with other interns coming from CIP and other agencies we could not speak Chinese, but we sailed through with very minimal assistance from some Chinese native speaking colleagues. My Chinese speaking skills were enhanced after 3 months of study and this I will confess was essential to my success. This project went successfully as I was awarded separately for it.

My working morale was high likewise my other colleagues because there was always a weekly reward for hard work and deadline massacre. The term deadline massacre was coined from a team meeting we had was asked to try to meet deadlines. So any time an employee finishes tasks before the appointed time, the TIME MASSACRE AWARD was given. This included 1000 RMB and a treat to Spa and Dinner with the department head on next Sunday. Haven worn this once, I felt it was an opportunity to network with my BOSS which I nailed perfectly.

This internship was not relevant on any continent, country or city than Asia, China, Shanghai. I got deep cultural insights from studying Shanghainese (Shanghai Residents). Shanghai is more cosmopolitan than you could ever imagine. They are also getting rich day by day and enjoying shopping as their pastime. So consumer goods are heavily represented. Name any internationally recognized brand and they have it.

I noticed that Chinese have a unique taste for quality and price. The perception is that the higher the price, the higher the quality which I do not necessarily agree but that’s the reality in Shanghai. This is a relevant pricing strategy for most brands. So I just laid a free tip J. Cultural issues entangle the work of a marketer in China and you cannot override it. For example, when a brand is seen to be associated with the wrong colors, people, animals etc which culture does not favour, the brand suffers. These facts are very petty but vital for success.

Chinese social media tools as a marketing zone is a different atmosphere for marketing. I already knew about Twitter, facebook, Instagram etc but they all were blocked in China so I had to learn about WEIBO, WE CHAT and Renren. It was worth it too because I could confidently lead a campaign on these platforms in addition to what is in the west.

This is more than just a review it is actually a memo and I hope you enjoyed it. If you are looking to develop your skills and get relevant, I prescribe CIP 100% for anyone without any reservation. Their teams are solid from Program design, Placement to Customer service.

I have been transformed and I will launch my career in China because I am addicted to the experience and way of life now.