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1. Maritza from Mexico, Internship in Finance/Accounting
Some thoughts about her experience
 "When I started to work at my host company, I didn't know what the company did, or what kind of clients and suppliers they had, and the most important I didn't know what to expect about the inside environment of the organization. Now, I can say that in Vancouver I was working in a very important company and I'm really proud of it. At my host company I had the opportunity to know about different areas of the administrative side…that was an amazing work for me, because I had a lot of responsibility and I learned a lot, and also was very good for my English because I had to talk with a lot of people. My host company and the people who work there are simply great, and I can say with security that I learned a lot, I had a lot of fun and it was one of the best experiences I ever had, I gave my best, and I'm very happy with the results I reached. I'm going to miss all of that."
Some comments from Maritza’s supervisor:
"Maritza has been a tremendous asset to our Finance and Legal Team. She has been working very hard evaluating, consolidating and designing a new database for our stock options. This has been a very challenging job since the information had many different sources, and elements that needed to be consolidated. Maritza has a great attention to details. Throughout this project she was able to find several in discrepancies that she was later able to rectify by comparing this information from other sources. She also has demonstrated how she can think outside the box by suggesting ideas that helped improve the layout of the database, and thus the end result."
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2. Stefanie form Germany, Human Resources
Some thoughts about her first week in the internshipp
 “On my first day I was introduced to all employees working in the corporate branch. I also attended the year-end meeting giving information about the year and future perspectives. My colleagues are all very nice and it is important for them that the internship will be a valuable experience for me. I am or will be involved in a couple of interesting projects. I became part of the team and got access to all systems and data. During the week, I was invited to a couple of meetings. I think this also indicates that team orientation is very important."
Some comments from Stefanie’s supervisor:
"Stefanie has been exceptional! She is efficient, intelligent, and conscientious. She manages her time well and can take something and run with it. She has had a variety of responsibilities to date, including inputting stock options data, legal/legislative research, compiling market data for compensation, reviewing documents, etc.".
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3. Yuko from Japan, Human Resources
Here are some of the things that Yuko learned about her host company in her first week
 "In this week, my first job was checking the tables of organizational structure with a coworker. Through this job, I could learn about the company's organizational structure. My host company has some offices all over the world, in Vancouver, Toronto, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London. Vancouver office is the headquarters. They are separated into West coast and East coast. My department deals with HR work not only Vancouver but also LA and SF. Most people have titles. For example Coordinator, Director, Analyst, Generalist, Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, and so on. There so many titles that I was confused. My old company's organizational structure was complicated but my host company is more."
Some comments from Yuko’s supervisor
"Yuko has helped us with a variety of general HR projects (…). We hope to get Yuko involved in more activities in the months to come. She has already made an impact on the team. She is reliable, committed, dedicated and a pleasure to work with. She tries to understand a task fully before taking action and does not hesitate to ask questions. She is detail oriented. Everyone on the team appreciates her contribution and her friendliness."
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4. Lina from Mexico, Graphic Design
 "I like the way people can talk very directly and straight forward. They don't save face, so things can be done faster and better. When we had the meeting all ideas are exposed and people agree or disagree in an open manner without hurting feelings.
I am learning that I have to be tough, if I want people to listen to me, believe in my work and in what I do, take it serious and make business. It's not enough to have the creativity or the abilities, and I'm learning from my supervisor that is very important the way people talk, and express themselves. He is helping me to make decisions, to be tough and to go straight to the point in business, how to show to others my point of view in order to be listened, understood and in the case of clients, to accept my proposals."
Some comments from Lina’s supervisor
"Despite having had very little work experience, it was clear that Lina is a talented artist who grasped design principles quite naturally. I immediately wanted to make her a part of our team and within only a few days of working here it became clear that she would not disappoint. As difficult as it must have been on some days, Lina was able to perform at out high-pace and never complained or backed down from anything. In such a short time she has become an important part of the company, effusing all the beliefs, qualities, and tenets of our brand. Lina was a wonderful addition in our studio."
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5. Frank from Germany, Construction Management
 "During this week I interned in a real Canadian Work Environment. My workplace is the site office of the current project. That's the hub of all decisions. A lot of different people labor herein, from the project management, the superintendent and the assistants to the site coordinators and workers. Each team member has many years of experience and knowledge in concrete high-rise construction of the project. As I already mentioned this field of industry is a very service-oriented and knowledge-based area. It is very interesting to see how everything works. During my studies I already gained theoretical knowledge. And everybody who is involved in this project is required to possess all the basic skills.
But now I have to put it into practice. And that's a new experience for me. I consider this practical knowledge as very important for my further working life. Project Management is one of the most extensive tasks for an architect or general contractor."
Some comments from Frank’s supervisor
"Frank was a practicing student intern, at our office under my direction, our company is a Canadian General Contractor, specializing in high-rise residential construction in Vancouver. Under my guidance (my responsibility is overall construction management of 15 towers currently in various stages, from design development to final occupancy) Frank assisted in, and was able to observe & participate in many general areas, from an engineering & management perspective.
In summary, Frank was exposed to all facets of high-rise design & construction, from excavation, to structure, to exterior envelope, to interior finishing. Frank was well liked by those that he worked with, and we were impressed by Frank's ability to take a problem, issue or task, and complete it with enthusiasm & dedication. We were also impressed with his maturity and ability to adapt to a new work environment. He has been an appreciated member of our site management team. I am sure that Frank will have a successful career upon graduation, and hope it is in the construction industry."
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6. Eva from Germany, Event Management
"My first impression of the company was very positive – I liked the people and the atmosphere in the office. However, the first two weeks were rather challenging for me as we had an event just two weeks after I started and nobody had time to explain anything to me. I did the tasks that I was assigned, and after the event, I had a talk with my boss about my expectations of the internship and about my request to get tasks that demanded a bit more responsibility. The conversation was really positive and afterwards many things changed. I got more diverse tasks to do such as working with pictures with Photoshop, making different kinds of phone calls, searching for a location for a new event and writing thank you letters to name just a few of my tasks. I attended several meetings with the respective event committees and I learned a lot about event management in general. Although I am not sure whether I will work in event management in Germany this internship was a great experience. Besides getting to know the event management industry, I improved my computer skills, learned how to make phone calls in English and got to know a Canadian work environment. The 8 weeks went by very fast and all in all I really enjoyed them."
Some comments from Eva’s supervisor:
"We were fortunate to have Eva in our office. As an event management company, we really appreciated having Eva available to contribute to our projects. She assisted us in a variety of capacities. She easily adapted to new tasks that were assigned to her. She was able to pick up the things that she needed to do. Her work included assisting with the development of some major client events. She was very good at grasping how all the pieces of each event came together, and took her responsibility seriously. Eva has a positive demeanor, and got along well with our staff, suppliers, volunteers, and clients. We are thankful for everything Eva did for us, and wish her the best in her future endeavours."
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7. Irene from Korea, Graphic Design
"From this experience, everything was challenging to me. But I am really happy that I finally got over it and done. During my days at my host company, I feel like having so much wonderful experiences and learning a lot not only about all the skills related to work, but also north American culture which is very valuable to me in a new country. And I was really happy that I had a chance to talk with my supervisor about my internship evaluation. His constructive feedback gave me chance to think about my confidence and skills I have to improve. I will definitely try to improve my skills and attitude to move forward to my future."
Some comments from Irene’s supervisor:
"During her time at our company we worked Irene quite hard, offering her a wide range of challenges and responsibilities. From print product, to web design and illustration – no matter what we challenged Irene with she continued to perform at the high-pace that we expect at our company. The work she produced was excellent. By the end of her stay, Irene had created a place for herself within our team and we are sad to see her leave."
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8. Cristiane from Brazil, Internship in Architecture
Some thoughts about her experience
 "Personally, it's not easy to show me something, as I don't want to seem weak or not prepared, but all of this experience works on that, and now I can accept easier the fact that I have a lot to learn and everyone started at the same place: the beginning. I'm just one more who wants to achieve goals.
My fear was always that I would not be useful there, that I would not give any benefits to the company and specially, I was worried I would not have a good relation there - as I think that's one of the major points to the development of a good work situation. I faced some problems that made me feel uncomfortable as I felt I was being tested, and all the time I was questioning myself - why they were making things more difficult than they are… Why did I have to listen those criticisms? ...and there are things that I would have done differently. I think getting some feedback is important and absolutely helpful too. Flexibility is not only important, but also necessary as we are in another country, with another culture and should be open to do whatever is asked.
I think it can elevate our self-confidence, develop business relationships and integrate school learning into real world situations. Basically, it's personal development, where I know now I'll be better than before. There were some mistakes but for sure that was a way of learning."
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9. Vince from Hong Kong, Internship as a Software Developer
First week thoughts
 "On my first day, I was satisfied with my desk. And people were nice because they were trying to talk to me and taking care of me. What I liked most during the week is that, people work really hard here, they like their job and they're having fun. It's a good working atmosphere. There are many young people like my age so we get something to talk about. The first day at work was pretty well basically. I started to do my project in the morning after a brief introduction by my supervisor, people are nice to me. I think I'll become friends with people here, and I think I'll be familiar with the environment here after some time and do my job better!"
Some comments from Vince’s supervisor
"I had the pleasure of working with Xu Cong (Vince). He was assigned 2 software tasks both of which were completed on time and in a professional manner. Xu succeeded even under the short deadlines we were confronted with. His code was elegant, efficient, and well documented."
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10. Susanne from Germany, Internship in Software Localization
Some thoughts about her internship experience
 "You meet a lot of new and interesting people from all over the world and a lot of different cultures – and you make a lot of new friends, so you're definitely not alone in an unknown, foreign country and a new city. The fact that you have the chance to stay in host families makes it even easier for you to start in a new country.
I started my internship at one of the world's market leaders in Business Intelligence software with an in-house translation department. I was given the opportunity to be an intern at their localization department. I worked together with a team of great people from more than 6 different countries and cultural backgrounds, and I was able to gain a first insight into "real" work life. Sure, the first month was pretty demanding because everything is new: new people, new environment, new structures but you get soon used to that. Now, already studying software localization back home in Germany, I'm benefiting a lot from what I have learned, in class and at my internship. Apart from all that, my English improved a lot which was also very important for me, I made a lot of new friends, and I discovered a passion for Canada while living and travelling there!"
Some comments from Susanne’s supervisor
"Susanne's pleasant personality and her enthusiasm to familiarize herself with new processes made her a very valuable team member and a great colleague to work with. She takes an analytical approach in addressing her tasks and suggested new and constructive solutions"
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11. Myriam from Mexico, Internship in Event Management/PR
Some thoughts about her internship experience
 "This internship contributed in a personal way by making myself more confident, to work with different people and to understand that people work in different ways and to get use to that rhythm of work, and to make me a routine of waking up early. In a professional way it contributed to be more organized, more responsible and to work under pressure and to deliver tasks on time.
Now that I have worked in an international organization and in a foreign country I certainly want to get more involved in this aspect. I want to do another internship before I work and of course related to this one.
It is a wonderful experience. I have learned a lot. I think it really helps you to grow up, not only in a professional way but also in a personal way. It is a very enriching, unforgettable and useful experience. I don't even have the exactly words to express all the knowledge and skills I've gained. It is simply great to be part of my host company."
Some comments from Myriam’s supervisor
"Myriam has been a pleasure to work with and have in the office. She is very thorough when it comes to detailed work"
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12. Tomomi from Japan, Internship in HR
Some thoughts about her first weeks
 "My boss and co-workers were kind and smiled when I talked to them, even though they seem so busy. I felt also they understood my English level and respected my experience. Communicating with native English speakers was challenging for me, the first day I was nervous and tired about it, but I am getting used to doing it. Other things of my work are no problem so far because most of my current jobs were really similar to my previous job in Japan. I could say I got more confidence at job interviews, and now I know my next step as a professional in a global company."
Some comments from Tomomi’s supervisor
"Tomomi has tackled every task she has been given with enthusiasm as well as teach me a few new things along the way. She is always ready for new projects and asks for more assignments when her work is done. She is very flexible and can shift her focus to the priorities quite easily. I also very much admire the fact that she has learnt so much English in such a short period of time. She amazes me. She has definitely earned the respect of the HR team and is very well liked in the office."
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