Internships &
Work Experience
Internships
What are internships?
The position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.
Why might I want to do an internship?
Internships are not solely about accumulating work experience but also about self-exploration and personal growth. It gives you a taste of working life and helps you explore different industries, roles, and work environments. You get the chance to observe the day-to-day life of colleagues and ask questions. They also offer an opportunity to discover personal strengths, interests, and career aspirations.
How can I find an internship?
Some organisations send internship & temporary work opportunities directly to HCI ECG. Find them here.
Simply search "[career you're interested in] internship Singapore" on Google or recruitment websites
If you are interested in a particular organisation, you can try emailing them directly.
Even if they do not advertise opportunities, some kind people are willing to help students out if they demonstrate that they are proactive, sincere, and respectful.
You do not need to apply through HCI. However, your internship or work experience should not clash with your classes, CCA, and other mandatory school activities.
I have already found an internship. Do you have any tips?
Refer to this document for a short guide on workplace etiquette and how to get the most out of your experience.
Resume & Interview Tips
There are many resume builders online with free templates. Refer to this article for some good starting points.
Resume tips
CONCISE and good formatting
Recruiters may not have much time to spend on each resume
CUSTOMISE and highlight skills that may be relevant to the specific job
Recruiters may pick out your sincerity this way
CHOOSE items that are most relevant and value-adding
Omit outdated achievements (eg. don't include primary school achievements when you're already in JC)
You can include soft skills, not just technical/hard skills
See some examples of soft skills in demand: Critical Core Skills for SG's Economy
Find interview tips for internships here.
Alternative Ways to Learn about Work
Even though internships are recommended, as a JC student, it can be challenging to find time for internships during the school year and with NS looming (for the NSMen). However, spending intentional time to explore is crucial as it can help you generate deeper insights into a profession.
You can build your inventory of career information via the following ways:
Taster Experiences (shorter duration of 2 hours to a day)
Hear from working professionals
Search for mentorship opportunities from organisations like Advisory or Halogen
Social media, YouTube
Podcasts
Read books / articles
Talks
Speaking to someone from the field (can be a family member, parents/friends connections, seniors, teachers)
Career Information sites like Project OSYO, Advisory.sg
TAG Programme
About the Talent Attachment & Grooming Programme (TAG)
The Talent Attachment and Grooming (TAG) Programme is a work attachment programme co-organised by the HCI Education and Career Guidance (ECG) Unit and partner organisations.
Objectives
TAG seeks to match JC1 and JC2 students with executives from various corporations across industries. Student participants will have a chance to experience the world of work through a one-week or two-week stint, and in the process, develop personal competencies and reflect on their future career pathways. These are done through the mentorship of industry partners, and guidance from HCI staff.
Put simply, student participants will:
(i) gain some insights into the operations of their attached organisation,
(ii) appreciate the career skills needed at work,
(iii) reflect on their career interests, skills and values in view of their work experiences.
To date, we have worked with organisations in sectors including, but not limited to Architecture, Engineering, Entertainment, Healthcare, Heritage, Legal, Retail and Tech Start-Ups. The ECG Unit and student participants are immensely grateful for the organisations’ tutelage and contribution to education.
Program Details
Timing
TAG takes place within the first two weeks of the mid-year school holidays. Refer to iEMB for more details.
Remuneration
Students will not be receiving any remuneration or allowance from TAG partner organisations.
For more information on the TAG Programme, please contact Mr Kwek Wei Hong (kwekwh@hci.edu.sg) or Mrs June Ng (junetay@hci.edu.sg).