For many young people in the UAE, an internship is as much of a rite of passage as sitting exams.
A stint in the workplace may help them decide what type of career they would like to pursue and, at the same time, what does not appeal.
But what else can pupils gain when they undertake an internship and how can they make the best of their opportunity?
At the Swiss International Scientific School Dubai, all grade-10 pupils complete a two-week placement at the end of the academic year, said Dr Lisa Bardin from the school. Also, pupils on the International Baccalaureate career-related programme (IBCP) can register for placements with industry partners.
“In recent years, our IBCP students have gained valuable hands-on experience with leading industry names such as Burj Al Arab, Pullman Dubai Downtown and Jumeirah Emirates Towers, among others,” she said.
Pupils benefit in numerous ways, said Dr Bardin, by gaining real-world professional experience of a leading organisation, building networks and developing workplace skills.
“Internships and placements also boost students’ confidence and help them clarify their career interests, while giving them a competitive edge when applying to university and entering the workplace,” said Dr Bardin, who is the school’s IBCP co-ordinator.
While feedback from pupils is “overwhelmingly positive”, Dr Bardin said internships reflected the realities of the workplace, which can mean repetitive tasks or fast-paced environments.
Career ambitions
Among those whose internship clarified their career ambitions is Veda Fernandes, who was a pupil at Dubai International Academy Emirates Hills when she worked with Aster DM Healthcare.
The internship was organised through the firm’s Aster Discover programme, launched in 2022.
During the first part of the internship, Ms Fernandes shadowed doctors, and in the second half worked with the digital team.
“I was just trying to get a feel for different careers, get some experience in the workplace and see what a professional workplace looks like, what’s expected," she said.
Now 19 and in the second year of a computer science degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Ms Fernandes said the internship helped her understand what career direction she should follow and taught her soft skills on how to operate in the workplace.
Finding the right role
At Aspen Heights British School Abu Dhabi, all sixth-form pupils undertake an internship, with most arranged through the school.
“In the UAE, partner organisations provide well-structured and meaningful placements that truly add value to the students’ development,” said Jamie-Leigh Smith, head of university and careers guidance at Aspen.
“Each placement is designed to ensure that students are treated as learners, not unpaid or menial labour, and that the experience serves as an investment in their learning and future success.”
Ms Smith said pupils following vocational routes often found their placements evolved into long-term employment or apprenticeships.
Learning on the job
Internships are compulsory for sixth-formers at The Arbor School in Dubai, said Frances Powell, head of secondary, while some younger pupils also undertake them.
“We do ensure they have a point of independence with their project,” she said. "They might take part in a research project or shadow part of the company.
“We’ve had some that have been a little bit more administrative. That’s allowed students to realise the role they thought they wanted to do isn’t for them. On the whole, the vast, vast majority are incredibly positive.”
Pupils interested in the hospitality sector have worked at a hotel chain, learning about marketing as well as how the business is run.
Marko Pavlovich, a 17 year old at Arbor School, said his internship at Reverse Psychology, a private mental health clinic in Al Safa, Dubai, “invigorated my passion to study psychology at university”.
He said it helped him to understand the “various nuances each therapy had” and to grasp the importance of a work-life balance.
“Another lesson I learnt was the pathway it takes to work at a private clinic, as every practitioner had previously done work experience in a public hospital prior to working there,” he said.
Latest fashion
Lina Wen, 17, another pupil at Arbor, would like to work as a fashion designer. She was an intern at the lifestyle division of AW Rostamani, a privately owned company in Dubai.
Towards the end of the internship she visited a fashion company, American Rag CIE, that is part of AW Rostamani’s lifestyle division. “It gave me insider knowledge regarding the retail aspects of selling goods, particularly luxury fashion products,” she said.
“I had the chance to meet the manager and retail team. I discussed and enquired about the work that was carried out. For instance, I asked questions about how displays are changed seasonally and how decisions are made to effectively showcase new seasonal designer products.”
During two weeks as an intern at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira hotel, Ines, a year-11 pupil at the Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai, was, among much else, able to speak to customers and help them with certain issues while being supervised by a staff member.
“I really enjoyed the internship as a valuable learning experience, feeling included as part of the working community,” she said.
“For me, the greatest benefit of this internship was the opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge – especially from subjects like business management – to real-world situations.”
Ines said some pupils see a placement as extra work, but she maintained a positive mindset and “discovered how fulfilling it can be to engage with others”. She said the key was “to keep an open mind”.
Aster DM Healthcare’s group chief human resources officer, Jacob Jacob, described internships, which in the company’s case include trainees as well as pupils, as “an integral part of our talent acquisition and culture-building strategy”.
“Some of our most impactful team members started their journey here as interns," he said. "That’s the power of investing in people early. When values align, it creates long-term growth for both the individual and the organisation.”
Could companies do more?
But it is likely that not all interns have a positive experience.
"I think about 80 per cent of people just completely ignore their interns. They bring them in to do basic things and don't use them properly," said David Mackenzie, group managing director of Mackenzie Jones Group, a recruitment agency.
He said companies may take on interns "because they feel they have to or there's been an edict from HR" but young people are not given objectives during their work. "Companies really miss out on what interns can offer. Some of these graduates have great ideas," he said.
Mackenzie Jones has interns for longer periods of three months or more, and pays them. Mr Mackenzie said it was important for them to have defined tasks with agreed outcomes such as, in one case, building the company's website, co-ordinating social media coverage and helping with blog posting.
It may be down not just to the company to ensure that the internship goes well. Ms Fernandes said interns should themselves take the initiative, as placements are "what you make of it yourself".
“A lot of the time if you have something you want to pursue and you ask to pursue that, they won’t be against that as you are contributing something," she said.
