INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH VIA LINGUA
Why Intern in Florence?
You’ve made the choice to get hands on experience in the field you’re planning to make a career out of. Not only will you get experience you can’t find in a classroom, but you’ll learn valuable life lessons such as business etiquette, people skills, time management, etc.
Now, take it a step further. Do your internship over-seas! Here are just a few reasons.
- Take the opportunity to learn a new language. By living and working in a foreign country, you’ll learn and retain far more of the language then you will from class. In an ever increasing global world, many companies are looking for employees with foreign language skills.
- Show employers that you are adaptable and able to succeed outside your comfort zone. Yes, you can intern at home, but by going overseas and leaving your comfort zone, you show potential employers that you are willing to go above and beyond to gain new skills and improve yourself. Living in a foreign country is hard, interning in one simply adds new chances and opportunities. Your ability to adapt to a new country, new business practices, possibly a new language and new customs shows that you are able to grow and adapt to your job and the needs of your company.
- Broaden your network! Having the ability to network with people in your field outside your home country can help improve your ability to obtain a job in your field. Not only do you have a web of people to advise you in your job search, but amazing references for future jobs. Having an international network can help you obtain a job both over-seas and at home. In an ever globalizing world, many businesses either already have contacts over-seas and/or are looking to create more. Thus, hiring someone who knows how to interact with locals in a business setting will only help them, and possibly help you advance in the long run.
Yes, you can intern at home. But can you learn international business etiquette and practices, establish life-long friendships, develop an international network, immerse yourself in a foreign culture, and see some of the most famous places in the world at home? Probably not. So get out there and learn, grow, and develop, you won’t regret it!
Not all internships are alike just as all classroom or job experiences are not alike. How should you approach finding an internship that will be a good fit for you?
We suggest that you identify the purpose for an internship. Do you wish to explore a professional field or do you wish to obtain concrete skills that will take you into the job market?
Does the internship provide an opportunity to learn something that you do not already know? No advantage is gained by doing an internship that does not challenge you to learn and grow.
Will the internship provide strong supervision or mentoring? Supervision or mentoring on the job is highly valued by entry-level professionals. A good supervisor or mentor offers an opportunity not only to learn new skills in a protected environment but is a means to develop a relationship with a professional who may take a personal interest in your career development, open doors for you, and help you advance.
Additional criteria that make a good internship experience are characterized by defining clear expectations for performance: Are your responsibilities clearly outlined? Will you be asked to develop goals and objectives that you will accomplish during your internship? Will you be provided a workspace of your own? Will training be provided for any work you are assigned? Becoming a well-informed intern will allow you to evaluate the culture of an organization and help you decide if it is a good fit for your needs. Remember, an internship is a two-way street. The employer has expectations of you for performance on the job (things you will provide for the organization) and you should articulate what you wish to accomplish by having this particular internship. With this combination in mind, your internship can become an opportunity to combine classroom and real world experience that will support you for years to come.
Five key elements of a successful internship program:
- 1. Cooperation
- 2. Attention to detail
- 3. Education
- 4. Openess to New Experiences
- 5. Reliability
Prior to the internship we will work with you in designing goals and schedules that will be effective for both the employer and you. We will consider the experience that most closely relates to your area of interest and any extra "bonus" experiences we can provide for you.
Open lines of communication play a key role in the efficiency and the effectiveness of an internship. Students want to know how well they are doing. This feedback is valuable to the professional growth of the student. It can serve as explanation of the areas where they are doing well and the areas in which they need to improve. The more open their supervisor is, the more likely the student will be willing to express their concerns or ask questions before the engaging a new challenge.
Internship at the Via Lingua Internationl Center, Florence
Customer Service/Teaching
- Providing information to walk-in student regarding language study courses;
- Provide information on individual lessons, specialized courses, TOEFL exam and preparation, study abroad programs
- Assisting with testing new students and accurately placing them in correct levels
- Acting as liaison with students at the Center before, during and after registration
- Staffing Help Desk. Being available at designated times and days to help Italian students make up missed material, explain confusing notions, help with extra conversation.
- Lead small conversation groups
Marketing
- Direct Marketing for language courses and extracurricular activities
- Creation and distribution of marketing materials
- Planning marketing strategies to better inform prospective students
Coordination of Instructional Staff
- Provide support services to instructional staff
- Administrative duties such as preparing text materials for classes
- Preparation of binders, materials and copies for teacher training classes
Materials and Syllabus Design
- Help to format and design various sections (for example reading section, writing section, grammar section etc.) in the Florence TEFL program for easy use by trainees. Each section needs to be redesigned for easy reference use and understanding.
- Materials Preparation/Handbooks. Help collaborate on making class sets for students.
- Decoration of classrooms, bulletin boards and hallway space. Update look of shared spaces.
Requirements
- Ability to work well with Italian public, American teaching staff
- Ability to work at several projects at the same time, prioritising and following up on details
- Initiative, willingness to learn
- Ability to work independently and learn by doing
- Neat, well-dressed, professional appearance and manner at all times
- Successful completion of the Via Lingua TEFL Certification Program
