Alumni Spotlight

26 Jun

Shyam Thakker from the University of Michigan shares his current experience as an Engineering intern in Singapore as one of Absolute's Summer 2017 Intern Heroes. 

I’ve been in Singapore for about a week and a half now, and without a doubt it’s been the most exposure I’ve ever had to another culture. I have spent a solid number of hours simply walking around areas of the city, observing everything from the way people walk to the signs in the MRT stations that I see everyday. After my short time here, I’ve learned that Singaporean culture, in comparison to American culture, emphasizes kindness and courtesy towards others.  At the same time the culture is richly diverse in terms religion, language, and most of all, food.

16:50 / Alumni Spotlight / Engineering Internships / Singapore Internships
04 May

Absolute Internship turns the spotlight on program alumni, following them on their journey from summer interns to young professionals.
 

Aneela Aziz from the United Kingdom was an Absolute Intern in summer 2015, working in the cut-throat fashion industry of Shanghai.

1. What have you been up to since your summer as an Absolute Intern?

I started a new job internationally as an Executive Creative Marketer within the fashion industry for a manufacturer in Dhaka, Bangladesh, supplying different retail brands across the globe.
 

2. How did the program help you along your career path?

Having international experience in China working within fashion definitely gave me the opportunity to land a job abroad, as the skills and experience I gained during my internship showed that I am able to adapt to different cultures, environments, and people in a new country.
 

3. What aspect of the program was most useful to your career?

The networking events and meeting people who work in different industries such as the H&M company visit. I feel that this really benefited me as it was based in the fashion industry. It was really interesting to meet professionals who work in the fashion sector, as it helped me partly make a decision as to what I wanted to do after I finished the internship.
 

4. What was the biggest challenge you faced while interning in Shanghai and how did you overcome it?

It was the language barrier. As I did not know Chinese, it was harder to communicate effectively both at and outside of work. Also the overall culture, work environment and lifestyle. I just went with an open mind, did not take anything to heart, and was patient as I believe that especially when you adapt to a new country, you have to give it time and it will all come together in the end. From your first impressions to going through the experience living and working in Shanghai, you learn a lot and you learn to adapt to different situations.
 
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5. What do you miss most about your Absolute Summer?

I miss all the interns. We became one family whilst living in Shanghai and it was nice to meet different people from around the world. We created such a tight bond; I really missed the whole experience when I left Shanghai, from going on different trips to going out for dinner, even visiting MacDonald’s! It was like heaven for me as I missed my food back in the UK. The total Absolute experience was amazing and I'll never forget what a great time I had.
 

6. What's next for you? 

15:18 / Alumni Spotlight / Shanghai Internships
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