This summer our student Alexander from the U.S. took a Remote Internship with us. He is currently studying Computer Engineering and during the lockdown period he sought an international internship in his field. He also chose to combine this with a Euroace Online Spanish course and here we asked him how the program went and his overall reviews on it!

Why did you decide to take a Remote Internship?

In light of the coronavirus outbreak, I saw the opportunity of pursuing a remote internship as a great way to both adapt to the “new normal,” which is heavily focused around remote learning and working. I also found that it was a great way to develop international connections and experiences without the harsh travel expenses.

Why did you decide to combine an Internship with a Spanish course?

There were two reasons for this, with the first being that I wanted to try and communicate better with the Spanish company I was working with. They spoke English very well, but I wanted to try and do the same with their language. The second reason was that I was offered a good deal for lessons, and I figured it would be ideal to gain at least a little bit of knowledge about the Spanish language throughout my internship period. I wanted it to seem like I was actually there, and part of being there is learning the language.

Did you have good access to the Internship company being a remote intern?

I had no issues communicating remotely with the company. It was made very easy using a combination of the Slack communication platform, emails and Microsoft Teams for video calls. I was provided with a company email to grant me access to such platforms easily and so communication was not a problem at all.

What kind of business skills did you develop through your Remote Internship?

Prior to my remote internship, my idea of working has always been hands-on, or in-person. It allowed me to realize how work can be done just as well, and perhaps even better in some ways by working remotely. I also learned a lot about coding, as I am still new to it. I started the internship with basic knowledge, and by the end, I had programmed a functioning social networking application. Another big skill was communication, which I have always had trouble with, especially remotely.
This was a great way to allow me to get better, especially with how nice my coworkers were!

What was your experience like taking an Online Spanish course?

It was definitely different from the classes I am used to taking. Granted, that was also the case with my online classes in the United States. It was nice to be in my home while still learning, and I think it was helpful. It definitely helped with my internship experience, as I was able to speak some Spanish with my coworkers, and understand some of the things they said in Spanish. It also allowed me to familiarize myself with cultural differences between the US and Spain more in-depth.

Would you recommend an Online Internship to other internationals?

I definitely would, especially because of the experience you gain without even having to leave your house. It also provides you with a flexible work schedule, which allowed me to work another job as well. It’s also a great way to make some international connections and expand your professional profile.

Would you recommend combining this with a Spanish course?

Yes, it was very helpful despite the fact that I only took 5 weeks worth of Spanish lessons. It gave me a basic understanding of how the language works and some useful vocabulary terms to help me communicate with my coworkers, and it is overall a great lifelong skill to have. My advice is to not work another job besides your internship if you are also going to take Spanish lessons, with the main reason being because of timezone interferences.

How would you say this experience could be beneficial to your future career?

It tremendously enhanced my ability to work remotely, and more importantly, internationally. Communication is a vital part of having a good career, so having this ability is very beneficial. As a Computer Engineering student, enhancing my programming knowledge was also important. While I prefer working with hardware, because of the remote environment, I knew it would involve programming, and I saw it as an opportunity to learn more about programming.

Did you find the experience to have any personal benefits?

I certainly did. It is always nice to meet new people, especially since the only people I am really around at home are my parents, and this was a great opportunity to do so. It was also a great way to combat boredom during this never-ending quarantine period in the United States. If I was going to be at home all the time, I might as well have made the most of it!!

We are now accepting applications for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Remote Internships. Here’s more info on our Remote Internships if you would like to learn more about them.