Completing an internship abroad, especially in London, can be one of the biggest decisions you can make. Exciting! Having experience overseas has many fantastic benefits, from helping you find a good job to improving your social life.
Our student services department ensures orientation and adaptation to London, one of the world’s most imposing cities, while providing round-the-clock support. We have supportive discussions with students to make sure they are aware of the type of placement they can secure and what to expect from their placement.
1. We interview all students before starting the placement process
This allows AES the opportunity to discuss internship options with each student and be realistic about the types of internships they are likely to receive. On this call, AES also runs through each students’ academic exposure, previous work experience/internships and any extracurricular activities, as well as offering CV feedback and suggesting edits to be made. Once the call has been completed, an email will follow highlighting all the key points from the call. Once both AES and the student are satisfied, the placement process will commence.
2. We organise an interview with the host company as well before our students start their internships
If and when a company is interested in hosting a student, AES arrange an interview between the company and student. This provides students with the opportunity to ask questions and familiarise themselves with their placement, and the host company get the opportunity to discuss the projects on offer. Mock interviews with the Internship team and interview guidebooks are offered to students to ensure they are prepared for their interview. Once the interview has taken place, a debrief is held with the applicant and employer to gauge both parties’ assessment before securing the placement.
3. Students complete weekly online forms to log their hours, as well as a mid-evaluation
During week two of their internship, students must complete an internship Learning Agreement with their supervisor, outlining what they are hoping to achieve in their internship and how this fall in line with their academic programme. Halfway through the internship, AES complete a mid-evaluation, where we meet with both the student and the supervisor separately and run through what the student has been getting involved with, what skills they have developed, any weakness they have noticed and what they hope to work on in the second half of the internship. With the student, we also run through what they are gaining from the academic perspective and how this fit with their degree programme. This is also a great time for AES to check that the internship is on track with what was agreed, and the student is satisfied.
4. At the end, when supervisors complete the final evaluation assessing students’ performance, AES compares it to mid-evaluation to compare students’ progress
A final evaluation is completed directly between AES and the host company. No student input is required in this assessment. Using the mid-evaluation and feedback at the end of the semester, AES assess the placement to decide whether the experience is suitable to pursue again for future students. As an outcome of this process, we have satisfied students and host companies.