Internship Hardships in Singapore

[cheezzzz]

Hello everyone,

My name's Chris and I'm from Wales, UK. I've recently been applying for summer internships in Singapore and KL (where I currently am) but haven't had much luck so far. Most job postings are looking for Singaporeans or PRs. To share a little more about my situation, here's an extract from my CV:

"I am a second year undergraduate student, studying BA Business Economics and Management at Nottingham University, Malaysia. Having lived and studied in four different countries I have experience in working in multicultural environments, and have learned to be independent and adaptable.

I enjoy an active life of studies, sports and travel. My goal is to remain in Asia to pursue a career in the financial services industry or as a market analyst, for both of which I have developed a keen interest. "

I would really appreciate it if anyone could offer me advice on this matter (e.g where to apply). I would like nothing more than to spend my summer as an intern in Singapore!

I searched through the forum before posting, did my homework, called up heaps of companies and got rejected too many times I lost count, and so I ended up here, just like Chris. as quoted above.

Only a few companies have accepted my resume and they turned me down, here's what they had to say:

1)I'm sorry currently we do not offer internships to those applying for an internship period of less than 6 months.

2)I'm sorry the documentation and procedures for applying a TEP for you are too tedious, we really want to hire you but we'd prefer it if you could work for at least 6 months.

My name is CS, a Malaysian undergraduate pursuing my bachelor's degree in materials and manufacturing engineeringing in University Tunku Abdul Rahman, KL, Malaysia. I'm looking for a materials or manufacturing company to attach to as an intern for 3 months, from early Oct to Dec (christmas).

I even went to MoM to clarify the reason behind the 'tedious documentation and procedures', and in fact they even suggested me to apply for a Temporary Employment Pass as they would review the applications by a case-by-case basis.

I just really don't know what to do except keep trying and calling up companies to hope to find those that actually need interns. I would really appreciate it if you guys could give me some advice. Thank you so much.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I would have to wonder why ICA would allow any Malaysian to do a internship posting here. As Malaysia and Singapore are relatively the same (tongue-in-cheek) why don't you apply for internships in Malaysian companies?

[cheezzzz]

I would have to wonder why ICA would allow any Malaysian to do a internship posting here. As Malaysia and Singapore are relatively the same (tongue-in-cheek) why don't you apply for internships in Malaysian companies?

Why wouldnt they, actually?

Apart from gaining the experience of working away from home in a company in a foreign land, it's partly because my girlfriend is a Singaporean and this 3 months of internship is an opportunity for us to really be so much closer than we have ever been before in the past 2 years since we don't get to meet up so often.. but apart from that, it's a fact that working in a Singaporean company will look a lot better on the resume, if compared to a Malaysian company.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I wasn't questioning why YOU would want to internship in Singapore. I was questioning why Singapore would allow interns from Malaysia.

[cheezzzz]

I wasn't questioning why YOU would want to internship in Singapore. I was questioning why Singapore would allow interns from Malaysia.

lol u totally ignored my question when I asked why wouldn't they did you ._.

[x9200]

I wasn't questioning why YOU would want to internship in Singapore. I was questioning why Singapore would allow interns from Malaysia.

lol u totally ignored my question when I asked why wouldn't they did you ._.

Did you answer his?
I believe the reasons given you by those companies who bothered to respond is genuine and valid across the whole industry. This is really very often not worth the effort if the duration is 3 months only. Besides the paperwork it typically takes ~1 month to train somebody (at least in my place). If you are a Singaporean then this would be a local manpower development, so even if not clearly beneficial to the company it should be in a longer run good for the country. If you are a foreigner hiring you for a short period makes practically no sense at all.

[Mad Scientist]

I wasn't questioning why YOU would want to internship in Singapore. I was questioning why Singapore would allow interns from Malaysia.

lol u totally ignored my question when I asked why wouldn't they did you ._.

Most diplomas or NTUs soon to be graduates will have job placement or plant training in their course. Local employers are encouraged to employ them. Basically it is free of charge , there is no fees involved by the employer i.e Free Labour
All you need is to sign up with them and they will send you loads of this students to learn about working in a factory.
If you feel obliged pay them some allowance , that is the employer perrogative.
It will look good on these employers in the eyes of MOM and MOE. SO first choice of internship will be for the local polys and Unis
I, myself, had a few every year until last year.
If you find any potential students among them , you can give them letter of employment even b4 they are graduated.
So for the OP answer, to hire foreign interns is a very daunting task and to hire locals interns well.. it is a NO BRAINER !!

[observer]

lol u totally ignored my question when I asked why wouldn't they did you ._.

cheezzzz, SMS's question is highly relevant while yours is not. At all. Internships are meant to train the young, give them professional experience. Why would Singapore give this to you INSTEAD of their own?

Would you pay your neighbor's son to mow your lawn, when your own son is broke? A good reason, just for example, is your neighbor's son is an expert lawn mower while your own son is too lazy to move a finger (yes this is a backhanded swipe ).

Singapore does not owe you anything. Nobody does.

For us, hiring interns is a means for us to identify the top talents and train them with the benefit of "first dibs" when they're out. This is primary, we do not expect them to save the company's bottomline, or even contribute substantially. If they do, it's a bonus. We reward them generously and treat them well, so they will want to join us as much as we want to hire them. Based on this, we are open to hiring foreign interns, but there must be good reason to do so over Singaporean interns.

[cheezzzz]

first of all thanks for the replies and enlightenment.

x9200: If I could answer his question I would not be the one enquiring now would I?

observer: nice analogy.. To be honest, if I came to seek answers, how would my question be irrelevant ._. after all, this forum is for seeking advise and answers.. how is owing people something relevant to this topic ._.

just wanted to ask a few questions and at least know the reason behind my struggle..didn't expect such a warm welcome

[x9200]

first of all thanks for the replies and enlightenment.

x9200: If I could answer his question I would not be the one enquiring now would I?

In other words you've been trying to get an intern position in the place where even you see completely no reason why such position should be offered to you. So why are you so surprised you did not get any?

observer: nice analogy.. To be honest, if I came to seek answers, how would my question be irrelevant ._. after all, this forum is for seeking advise and answers.. how is owing people something relevant to this topic ._.

just wanted to ask a few questions and at least know the reason behind my struggle..didn't expect such a warm welcome

Well, from what you showed so far one can think of some other reasons for your failure beyond the tedious formalities and the short duration of the internship.

[cheezzzz]

first of all thanks for the replies and enlightenment.

x9200: If I could answer his question I would not be the one enquiring now would I?

In other words you've been trying to get an intern position in the place where even you see completely no reason why such position should be offered to you. So why are you so surprised you did not get any?

observer: nice analogy.. To be honest, if I came to seek answers, how would my question be irrelevant ._. after all, this forum is for seeking advise and answers.. how is owing people something relevant to this topic ._.

just wanted to ask a few questions and at least know the reason behind my struggle..didn't expect such a warm welcome

Well, from what you showed so far one can think of some other reasons for your failure beyond the tedious formalities and the short duration of the internship.

his question was why would ICA even allow Malaysians to be hired? heck I'm Malaysian, that's like asking a blind man how a flower looks like. asking a Msian about SG stuff. also, you totally assumed that part written in blue.

you ask if you do not know or understand ._. isn't that the process of seeking knowledge, no? I didn't know why Singapore would not accept Malaysian students in Malaysian universities as interns in the first place. Singapore would accept foreigners for internships over summer, so I thought why wouldn't they do the same for Malaysians? I've heard those who aren't top in Singapore are 'disregarded', just didn't expect the same kind of attitude for those who are less-informed.

I applied for a job for the exposure.. posted on here to find out more info, got more than I was looking for.

[x9200]

Cheezzzz, we are pretty well informed but you simply can not get some simple things even if placed right in front of you. Fortunately, ignorance in such cases practically always is a bliss so I am sure you will find now and later somebody to blame for your own wrong doing. I am not on a didactic mission so let me finish this de facto monologue with this point.

[ksl]

Just to keep people updated on Internships;

Cheez finally got approved on the 21st October.

MOM set down recommendations one is that the student is paid a minimum 450$ a month, second is there must be man power to supervise him.

His rejections before was in fact the failure of the Company not to offer sufficient payment for his welfare in Singapore.

Surprisingly the burden is put on the Company to look after the students welfare and repatriation.

My own thoughts was that we were offering help to a student who needed a training position, we didn't really need an intern and that by offering help, we are committing costs in terms of experience, and manpower to teach someone, that will not be producing. If anyone should pay, it should be the universities has they take the kids money.

However it settles much of the hassle that students have been having, trying to find why they are not getting offers.

Even our own Company didn't wish to pay as they said they don't need an intern, which is true, though i eventually convinced the directors the importance of contributing to a students education, as their own children may also be in the same position one day.

It was time consuming to get it processed as the criteria is not stated on their website, rejection is easy. My advice to Companies is to offer students 450$ a month minimum and a very detailed letter explaining how you will supervise them.

The application process will have a better chance of succeeding with those two conditions met, though again it's a case by case scenario

[ksl]

I think this thread is very relevant to business in general and especially for all foreign interns.

Cheezz is in fact a star, in which we have offered him a career path when he's finished, he's very capable, with lots of brains and commonsense, it just goes to show the short sightedness of the forum. I give him 10/10 for persistence for not giving up, even when he was rejected twice.

The rejections did cause a delay, and our directors had accepted MOM's rejection, if it wasn't for Cheeezzzz persistence to ask me to go to MOM with him, the opportunity would have been lost.

His persistence of how important it was for him to get this internship, was meaningful.

I personally want to congratulate him on the forum, to show other interns that you should never give up hope, no matter which Country you are from, if you are useful, you will succeed. Cheezzzz kick started a very good impression on how to solve his problem, and he did it. You may think through my help, but mostly he did the solving not me, he was just persistent enough to get me to act for him.

[wwww]

Just to add about my internship experience:

Generally local companies tend to completely ignore people that are not currently residing in the company, partly because they are too lazy to apply for your visa and also because they will want you to be available for an interview the next day when they call you and be available to start working a few days after they accept you. This impatience seems to very common here for internships as well as for real jobs.

I was looking for an internship while I was studying for my masters in Singapore and had a S-Pass and it it still took a long time to find something suitable. Hence you need to be very patient to find an internship here.