Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
" The ITEP programme here in Malaysia has exposed me to more on hand
job experience than I could ever receive at an entry level position
back home. After only 2 months, I have already been involved with
advertising, marketing, sales, graphic design, public speaking and even
some of the interviews and hiring decisions. My experience with the
management of a Malaysian company has shown me that different cultures
DEFINITELY do things in different ways, and my input is usually
respected. The support from the L.C. has made adapting to my job and
the culture easier and more fun as well. " - William Kennish, USA
" I'm very happy to have been given the opportunity to work in a
pharmaceutical company during my traineeship. I feel that Malaysia is
an ideal country for a traineeship. One advantage is that traveling in
Malaysia is easy because the country is quite small. Secondly,
Malaysia's location is very good as it enables us to travel to
neighbouring countries, thus exposing us to more cultures. Most
importantly, Malaysia is a multicultural country. There are lots of
varieties in terms of food, religion, language and tourist attractions
(beautiful islands). It's very interesting to realize that after 7
months, you can still learn something new. The environment is inspiring
and gives you lots of ideas. One of the interesting times during my
traineeship is studying Mandarin (Chinese). All in all, I'm happy to
say that the traineeship exceeded my goals. I feel that my ability to
work with different cultures improved due to the traineeship and
furthermore increased my willingness to work in international tasks in
the future. " - Eetu Koski, Finland
My name is Filomera Ruffa, a trainee from Italy, here my name is simply
Filo. About 1 ½ years before my graduation, I decided to apply for a
traineeship through AIESEC in which I was involved for 4 years. An
experience like this could mean for me, on one hand the way to practise
my marketing knowledge and personal skills; I could transfer
successfully my abilities to the company where my traineeship would
give me the opportunity to live in the country, learning a culture and
understanding people completely from me. Therefore, the traineeship
would represent an important step for my personal and professional
career. After 7 months, I really would like to thank AIESEC Malaysia,
my company and my friends, as well, who gave me the opportunity to know
and appreciate a country which has fascinated me and has taught me by
its differences to look at the values from a different point of view
that open my mind and, that is really what I am looking for. Thanks. - Filomera Ruffa, Italy
When my company accepted me ‘ In Depth Research and Management
Consultants’, to work as a Market Researcher, I was esthetic. After
being involved in AIESEC for 4 years, I was to receive the ultimate
experiences AIESEC can give; the AIESEC traineeship. I looked forward
to put into action the ideals of AIESEC. The highest ideal of AIESEC is
to understand and not judge the world around you. I have learned a
great deal in all spheres of life from practical business experiences
to interpersonal experiences with people from all over the world. The
trainee is not only the one who can receive the above benefits but ALL
who actively participate in the AIESEC program. Therefore, I would like
to urge all who read this write-up to actively take part because it
will make a world of difference in your life as it has in my life! - Todd Robbins, Canada
During my time of study I had been active in AIESEC for 4 years.
Therefore it was quite natural for me to apply for a traineeship
abroad. I chose Asia as my prior destination because I wanted to
experience a culture very much different from my own. Luckily I was
offered a traineeship in Malaysia so the dream suddenly came true. The
cultural variety of Malaysia has been a big learning experience, which
definitely has broadened my mind. By working in a Chinese job
environment I learnt a lot about eastern ways of doing business
management, which I think is a valuable asset to carry along in my
future business career. Living in the Malaysian society for almost 10
months promoted an understanding of the country, which I never would
have achieved by simply passing by on a travel visit. In this respect
AIESEC is offering a unique opportunity and I can therefore strongly
recommend everyone to engage in the activities of the organisation and
to make use of its exchange programme. - Lars Erik Kohl, Denmark
Malaysia was not my first choice for a traineeship but was a fortunate
match for me and has since become my temporary home. I must say it was
not easy coming half way around the world to start a new job, find a
new place to live, and into a new culture, when I didn’t know anyone
here. The AIESECers made the transition more comfortable for me by
helping find a new place to live, taking me to work on my first day,
showing me around the area, and introducing me to many new people and
friends. Although none of this went as smooth as silk, I can say that
it was never dull and always an experience. Through my work I have
gained much more experience then if I had stayed in my home country.
The level of my job is higher than an entry-level job in the US and I
would need at least 10 years experience and a bit more age to tackle
the task and responsibilities that I have day in and day out. Every
culture can partly be defined by it’s food and Malaysia is no exception
from the Chinese fatty pork soup to the Muslim’s food or from eating
with chopsticks to eating with your fingers, and bland food is rarely
served in these parts. With the different foods, ethnic groups, and
religious groups, one gets a well-rounded introduction to people and
life in general. This along with my work experience, new friends, and
quality of life is why I signed to stay in Malaysia for another year
after my 1 1/2 year traineeship. - W. Klye Woodcock, United States
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