I cannot believe Olivia is taking her GCSEs this year. It seems like the secondary school years have whizzed by in the blink of an eye. I’m sure I’m not the only parent to think this too.

The thing is, since Olivia picked her options in year 9, what she wants to do when she leaves school has changed drastically. When she started secondary school, she had clear ideas of what she wanted in life. While this changed a little come year 9, she still knew mostly what career path she wanted. Except since taking on subjects to fulfil this desire, she has realised she wants to take a different route.

This has led to some discussion on the best route to take concerning her future after year 11 and her A-Level options. After a lot of back and forth, we decided Olivia would stay at her current school to take her A-Levels and then we would reassess how she feels regarding her career choices once the following 2 years are up.

Currently, she is getting great feedback from her teachers and is expected to get mostly 6/7 with some 8s potentially. This means she has no restriction regarding the A-Levels she can pick and has opted for Geography, photography and chemistry.

Education Past 16

One thing I am not strict on is Olivia knowing precisely what she wants to do with her life when she leaves school. While I appreciate some kids have clear ideas and goals for their adult life, I don’t think they should be forced into making life-changing careers and commitments if they are even slightly hesitant.

I left school just before I was 17 and worked in retail for 22 years. I forgot my love for writing and reading and felt stuck in retail as this was all I knew. Last year, just before I turned 40, I finally became a full-time writer and realised my dream of working from home, for myself, doing something I love; but the reality was, for the longest time, I didn’t even know what I wanted.

So I am aware that at 16, 18, or even 38, people may not realise what they want from life and each and every one of us is on a different journey.

However, just because we are on different journeys, it doesn’t mean they can’t be fun, educational and fulfilling at the same time. Life is about experiences. And one way to get those experiences is via an international internship.

What Are International Internships?

International internships are located outside of your country of residence. They are usually with a company or government entity and allow you to gain real-world experience in your career interest or educational interest.

Not only are you learning more about a specific industry you want to pursue, but you are also able to learn to live alone, grow independently and experience different cultures and lifestyles while still benefiting your career in the future.

What Are The Benefits of International Internships?

Taking up an international internship can offer students many personal and professional benefits.

Choose From A Wide Range of Industries

Regardless of where you want to put your focus, there is likely an internship you can take up. Instead of jumping headfirst into a career, you can take up International Internships Seoul or anywhere in the world to help you become more familiar with the industry and make sure this is the right choice for you.

Experience Life In A New Country

Being able to travel and explore the world is something everyone should be able to do, and taking up an international internship allows you to do just that while still working in your chosen career.

Ease Your Transition from Education to The Real World

Moving from full-time education to working full time can be a considerable adjustment. Taking up an internship allows you to travel and ease the transition into the world of work. It gives you breathing space to experience more of the world before gaining employment.

Develop Contacts

As your internship is likely to be in a big corporation or government entity, you will be able to network, make connections, and gain experience. All of this is possible when you make good impressions and connections with those who can assist you. This will work well for you in the future as you move through your career and work towards your goals, from finding mentors to help you start your own business to getting yourself your ideal job role in the future.

Stand Out From The Crowd

The job market is becoming increasingly competitive, and specific industries are renowned for being notoriously tough to break into. Internships, especially international ones, will look good on your CV and help you stand out from the crowd. This will set you apart and let potential employers know you are serious about what you want to do and have gone above and beyond to gain the relevant experience both professionally and personally to allow you to gain new perspectives and experiences.

Choosing an International Internship

Should Olivia decide she wants to take up an international internship, I will fully support this. I think this can be highly beneficial for her regardless of the route she chooses post-A-Levels. 

What do you think of international internships? Have you done one or what would you recommend?