INTROduction international internship
About the international internship
Universities as well as the job market are becoming more and more internationally orientated. Because TVWO is a programme in which internationalization and the English language play an important part, our TVWO students do an internship in year 5 at an international company. The internship takes 5 days and taes place abroad or in the Netherlands at an English language company. The holidays can be used as an internship period, but you can also request permission to do the internship during school hours.
You will find a suitable internship placement yourself, make contact with companies or organisations, arrangements for the internship, and organise travel and accommodation (preferably in a host family). You also make sure the school is aware of these arrangements. This means that you are not only being given an international orientation on the job market, but that you are also working on skills like planning, organising, taking initiative, taking responsibility, networking and presenting yourself. The individual nature of the internship makes you even more self-sufficient.
Of course you do not stand alone: the TTO coordinator will follow you in your preparation and you can use contacts of family or acquaintances. The workbook in front of you briefly explains the steps to be taken and contains the necessary forms; the website internationalestagebroklede.weebly.com provides in-depth information and guidance.
The internship is a mandatory part of the TTO programme and has to be concluded completely and successfully for the student to receive their TTO Senior Certificate at the end of year 6.
A tip: start as soon as possible by reading the ENTIRE website and making a strong planning for yourself. You are the main responsible person for this internship; there is a general planner, but you have to move yourself to start working, and keep an eye on what has to be done when.
Content and requirements of the internship
The internship has the following requirements:
The internship and the environment
At Broklede we of course consider the environment very important. We therefore ask you to take into account if it is really necessary to fly far away for this internship. The Netherlands has many international companies close by where you can learn a lot too. Countries like Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and the UK also offer plenty of opportunities, and you can usually reach these places by bus or train. If your parents already have a holiday plan, you might also see if you can do your internship close to your holiday address.
Learning goals
Summarised, the international internship has the following learning goals:
Planner international internship
Step 1. Introduction
In this step:
Step 2. Orientation
In this step:
Deadline: Friday 6 October 2023
Step 3. Arranging an internship placement
In this step:
Deadline: Friday 16 February 2024
Step 4. Preparing your internship
In this step:
Deadline: at the latest Friday 28 June 2024 (last day of test week 2) OR 14 days before travelling if you travel before the summer break
Step 5. Internship
In this step:
Deadline: last day of the first week of school year 6TV
Step 6. Internship report
In this step:
Deadline: last day of the first week of school year 6TV
Step 7. Poster presentations
In this step:
Materials
You will work with the following:
Universities as well as the job market are becoming more and more internationally orientated. Because TVWO is a programme in which internationalization and the English language play an important part, our TVWO students do an internship in year 5 at an international company. The internship takes 5 days and taes place abroad or in the Netherlands at an English language company. The holidays can be used as an internship period, but you can also request permission to do the internship during school hours.
You will find a suitable internship placement yourself, make contact with companies or organisations, arrangements for the internship, and organise travel and accommodation (preferably in a host family). You also make sure the school is aware of these arrangements. This means that you are not only being given an international orientation on the job market, but that you are also working on skills like planning, organising, taking initiative, taking responsibility, networking and presenting yourself. The individual nature of the internship makes you even more self-sufficient.
Of course you do not stand alone: the TTO coordinator will follow you in your preparation and you can use contacts of family or acquaintances. The workbook in front of you briefly explains the steps to be taken and contains the necessary forms; the website internationalestagebroklede.weebly.com provides in-depth information and guidance.
The internship is a mandatory part of the TTO programme and has to be concluded completely and successfully for the student to receive their TTO Senior Certificate at the end of year 6.
A tip: start as soon as possible by reading the ENTIRE website and making a strong planning for yourself. You are the main responsible person for this internship; there is a general planner, but you have to move yourself to start working, and keep an eye on what has to be done when.
Content and requirements of the internship
The internship has the following requirements:
- The internship can take the form of an orientation or work experience. This means that you will get an orientation on the company: walk along and interview employees, find out what the company does, how it works, what each individual contributes and what you could do in a company like this in the future. The internship can also be more than that: some students are given concrete tasks. In the past, students have, for example, started the social media accounts for a small company, helped analyse data, taught English to refugees, and aided in general company work tasks.
- The internship needs to take at least 40 full hours. If you go abroad, this may include preparation, but no more than 8 hours. The internship can take longer.
- If the internship is taking place abroad, it can be done at any organisation or company of your choice. If the internship is taking place in the Netherlands, it either has to be done at an international company which uses English as working language, or, if this is really not possible, at a company or organisation working in an intercultural environment.
- You have to be assigned an internship supervisor at your internship place. You have to sign a contract with them in advance, stating what you are going to do and when you will do your internship. The contract also has to be signed by your parents and TTO coordinator.
- The internship includes several small assignments and deadline. They are schematically indicated in the next chapter. Make sure to follow all steps, meet deadlines, attend workshops and presentations, and deliver necessary assignments.
- You can choose to do your internship with max 1 other student if there is not other option. However, this is not recommended. Firstly, you will learn much more and develop more on a personal level when you do the internship alone. Secondly, doing the internship with another student may mean the internship is not quite tailored to your own ambitions. Lastly, you may make less contact with people within the company or other culture in general.
- You can do your internship during school hours and ask for leave, but no more than five days. These five days cannot be taken during school exams or school activities. You have to ask for leave with your department at the latest two weeks beforehand.
- Have you done an exchange activity not connected to school (like Chartres) in the upper grades, such as Masterskip or a High School exchange? You may then possibly be exempt from the international internship. In this case, please contact your TTO coordinator.
The internship and the environment
At Broklede we of course consider the environment very important. We therefore ask you to take into account if it is really necessary to fly far away for this internship. The Netherlands has many international companies close by where you can learn a lot too. Countries like Austria, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and the UK also offer plenty of opportunities, and you can usually reach these places by bus or train. If your parents already have a holiday plan, you might also see if you can do your internship close to your holiday address.
Learning goals
Summarised, the international internship has the following learning goals:
- Career orientation. During the internship you will find yourself on the work floor of a company chosen by yourself. This will help you learn more about the work place in practice and to what extent it meets your own ambitions.
- Internationalisation. The internship is part of your learning trajectory as a global citizen. You will work in an international environment, a useful experience in itself considering the increasing international orientation of companies, but in addition you may come across cultural differences and differences in norms and values from which you can learn.
- Executive skills. As mentioned before, a large part of the internship is organising it. To arrange an internship yourself, you will have to work on planning, organisation and flexibility, to name but a few.
- Personal development. Both the planning as well as doing the actual internship can be very intimidating for some of you. Think, for example, of how scary it can be to ring a large company and ask for an internship! Travelling and being in a new environment by yourself can also be a huge step for some. You will really have to step out of your own comfort zone.
- Language skills. Last but not least: you will also be working on your language skills. Most of you will be using English at your internship place, which means you will using your English in a different environment from school. Some of you may even learn a bit of another language.
Planner international internship
Step 1. Introduction
In this step:
- You follow the introduction talk about the international internship, including the poster presentation given by 6TVWO
- You follow the workshop intercultural communication
Step 2. Orientation
In this step:
- You explore where you would like to do your internship and what options you have
- You make a list of at least five organisations you could approach
- You write an English language personal statement and create an English language CV
- Workshop CV and personal statement writing and help brainstorming internship places Tuesday 3 October 2023 14:35-15:25
Deadline: Friday 6 October 2023
Step 3. Arranging an internship placement
In this step:
- You write to companies or organisation and arrange an internship placement
- You make arrangements with the organisation and sign an internship contract
- Meeting finding internships on Wednesday 13 December 2023 5th period (Ontwikkelmiddag)
- Meeting finding internships on Tuesday 30 January 2024 14:35-15:25 (mandatory for students who do not have an internship by then)
Deadline: Friday 16 February 2024
Step 4. Preparing your internship
In this step:
- You request leave for the internship period from school if necessary
- You make arrangement for travel tickets, insurances, paper work, accommodation, health matters, et cetera
- You read more about your internship place and make any necessary further arrangements with your organisation
- Individual help with preparing your internship on request (ask this well in advance of your TTO coordinator)
Deadline: at the latest Friday 28 June 2024 (last day of test week 2) OR 14 days before travelling if you travel before the summer break
Step 5. Internship
In this step:
- You do your internship
- You keep a log of your hours and activities
- You complete the evaluation form with your internship supervisor
Deadline: last day of the first week of school year 6TV
Step 6. Internship report
In this step:
- You write a report about your internship
- You make a poster about your internship
- You complete your portfolio with more information about the internship
Deadline: last day of the first week of school year 6TV
Step 7. Poster presentations
In this step:
- You give a poster presentation for the new students of 5TV
Materials
You will work with the following:
- This website, internationalestagebroklede.weebly.com, has detailed explanations of how to take each step. The website is available in Dutch as well as English. You can also use the website as a reference in case an internship company asks for more detailed information about the internship.
- A workbook which is mostly meant to have the planner on paper, and be able to keep track visually of which steps you have taken. It also ensures you have the necessary form on paper.
- In Magister Studiewijzer, this workbook will be posted, as well as all the forms in separate documents, the link to the website, and a letter by the TTO department which you can send along with your personal statement and CV.
- In Magister Opdrachten, you can post your assignments. As some of your work might be on paper (e.g. the log and evaluation form and the poster), there is also an option to deliver it in a box meant for the international internship in room 012, where the TTO coordinators have their desk.
- As your TTO coordinator does not teach you, communication about the international internship will go largely through Magister mail. Make sure to keep an eye on your mail regularly.