The British Diplomatic Mission has one of the highest number of interns among other missions in Brazil. The partnership with Brazilian higher education institutions started in 2006. Currently there are 36 interns working in our different posts across the country.
This is one of the best internship programmes available in the field of International Relations, my area of study. There are several factors that make the experience of working here unique. The open environment and lack of excessive hierarchy are one of them. Here everyone is addressed by their first names and it is common that meetings involve employees from all levels, from diplomats to interns.
Another key factor is the learning opportunities on offer. Workshops, courses, seminars, conferences… The list is endless and training sessions happen regularly. Furthermore, flexible working hours, which adapts to our study hours, salary, the daily contact with the British culture and the practice of English are other advantages of the programme.
An interesting point concerns the number of interns that come back to work for us at some point in their carrers. Many of them have successfully applied for temporary or permanent positions. One of our bloggers, Luana Seabra, started at the Embassy as intern of the Comms Team and, after her graduation, returned as a permanent member.
The diversity of areas comprised by the programme is impressive. We have interns who study International Relations, Political Science, IT, Economics, Administration, Translation, Communication, among others.
Regardless of the area of study and the team in which we work, our job is far from being simple, easy or little. It has nothing to do with that image of interns who spend their days making photocopies and fetching coffee.
In a regular working day I usually do research on some foreign policy topics, take part in meetings and prepare some documents. I also have administrative tasks, as we all do, such as booking rooms, requesting transport, scheduling meetings and issuing tickets.
I started my internship in May 2013, when I was in my eighth semester at the university, and the experience exceeded my expectations. For me, who always had a special affection for the UK, being part of this team is very rewarding.
You can access our open internship positions here. Stay tuned and do not miss our selection processes.