Australia is the definition of “work hard, play hard.” It’s famous for its sunny beaches that encourage relaxation and waterfront fun, stunning maritime and terrestrial environments that offer outdoor adventure, and an exciting nightlife scene with live music across every genre. Beyond the fun, Australia is a major global economic power, with booming industries that position it as a key player in the Asia-Pacific region. AIFS Abroad offers full-time internships and Study + Internship programs in Sydney, one of the country’s leading business and academic hubs. With an internship in Sydney, you can explore diverse career fields while building a strong international network. Ready to see what it’s really like to intern abroad in Australia?
Hear from three people who did an internship in Australia with AIFS Abroad!
Raegan: Architecture Internship in Sydney
Raegan from Texas Tech University did an architecture internship in Sydney during spring semester. She describes her experience interning at a local architecture firm below:
“I am loving [my internship]… My office is so beautiful and is [in] such a great location called World Square… At lunch time I go down for yoga! Since my work is located at World Square, us employees get special perks like free workout classes!”
Hear Raegan go over her tasks at her internship, her experience with her supervisors, and her workload compared to other AIFS Abroad interns in her program:
“Since it’s an architecture internship, I would say it’s a little more work compared to others, but not bad at all!.. My bosses are super lenient and supportive since they know I’m still a student… they’ve been very helpful… I’m working on boards with projects all over Australia. I’ve used 3D software that I learned in school and helped model, design, and plan projects. I’ve been on site visits as well!”
Outside of her internship, Raegan liked to spend her time exploring Sydney, the rest of Australia, and beyond:
“I’ve been to the Great Barrier Reef, the Blue Mountains, and the [Sydney] Opera House. I’m going to Melbourne, Jervis Bay, and Canberra… I’ve [also] been to Bali and Thailand. I’m planning to [go to] Japan and Singapore in June for my birthday. It’s not hard to find affordable flights.”
As the end of her architecture internship in Sydney neared, Raegan reflected on her time abroad:
“I seriously don’t want to leave because life has been so amazing here! I would highly recommend everyone to study [or] intern abroad. I feel like I’ve grown so much as a young woman and I’m so grateful. One of the reasons why I wanted to intern abroad was to build my portfolio, and I definitely think this will make me stand out from my peers and give me life skills.”
Sandrine: Sustainability & Hospitality Internships in Sydney
Sandrine, an AIFS Abroad Green Ambassador Scholarship recipient, interned abroad in Sydney while earning her master’s degree in management at HEC Montreal. She did two part-time internships in Sydney, providing her with experience in multiple industries and roles, which she details below:
“So, I decided to do two different internships in Sydney. One towards more sustainability, so it’s the one that I’m doing on Monday and Tuesday, and it’s remote. It’s essentially based on the circular economy, and it’s in a consulting firm with a really small team. And the second internship I have is in the Four Seasons Hotel, so it’s more of a hospitality internship; I’m part of the Human Resources team.”
As Sandrine emphasizes, her AIFS Abroad internships aligned perfectly with her academic and career goals:
“I did my bachelor’s in sustainability and marketing, and now my master’s in management, so I’m looking to work in sustainability—more towards consulting—so this internship is a perfect opportunity! One good thing about AIFS is that your internship will be based on your goals and objectives!”
Below, Sandrine lists some of her tasks at her sustainability internship:
“Write an educational article for our client, create some informative slides about the circular economy, do an analysis of our LinkedIn, and write some posts. Days are different from one to another, but essentially, it’s about educating our clients and helping them to change their way of doing business!”
Outside of her internship, Sandrine explains some of her favorite things about interning abroad in Sydney:
“Sydney has some amazing coastal walks along the city! Great way to get around the city in a sustainable way! Did you know that the Sydney Harbour & Coast Walk network is 315 km [long]?”
And as for Australia as a whole, Sandrine said the following:
“The nature, the outdoorsy activities, and the lifestyle Australia offers are amazing!”
Nick: Study + Internship in Sydney
Nick is a journalism and mass communications student from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University who did a Study + Internship program during fall semester. This unique AIFS Abroad program allows college students and recent grads to simultaneously take classes and do a part-time internship abroad.
Below, he describes his program in more detail:
“For my degree program at [my home university], I’m a journalism and mass communications student and then my concentration is in media production… [For my internship program,] I do classes three days a week and I have an internship two days a week… I’ve been helping [my host company] sell some things [and] put some ads out. They do a lot of event technology stuff, so if you need a photo booth, if you want to do the slow-mo Glamdroid, they have that. It’s been really cool interning [abroad].”
Not only did Nick find his part-time internship rewarding, but he enjoyed his courses in Sydney, too:
“I love that for my film classes we get dedicated class time to watch movies and analyze camera techniques in relation to overarching themes.”
Hear Nick describe his housing in Sydney with other AIFS Abroad program participants:
“It’s cool, I [live in] an apartment with 8 of us in four rooms, so it’s two to a room, and we all [share] a living room and a kitchen. It’s pretty nice, we’re staying not too far from campus, so it’s like walking distance for me and not too far from the harbor either, so you can just get up and go see the water.”
Soak up the Sydney sunshine while you gain hands-on professional experience with an AIFS Abroad internship in Australia!
AIFS Abroad offers a wide range of internship programs in Australia, each tailored to meet specific professional, academic, and personal preferences. With an intern abroad program in Australia, you can earn credits, immerse yourself in the exciting Aussie culture, and travel throughout Australia and the greater Asia-Pacific region. Choose AIFS Abroad and take advantage of our valuable program inclusions (which really take the stress out of planning!), such as housing, trips and excursions, social and cultural activities, 24/7 emergency assistance, career readiness programming, and the support of our trusted on-site staff.
