The new internships?

ACS Doha Partnerships Manager, Elliot Rose, reflects on an exciting new virtual externship programme, and we hear from some of the students who have benefitted.

The new internships?Partnerships Manager, Elliot Rose, reflects on an exciting virtual externship programme ACS Doha launched this year, which will be rolled out to our UK schools. We hear from some of the first students to benefit. What is an externship?ACS Doha has partnered with Paragon One, a US-based company who have spent many years cultivating rich relationships with industry-leading companies. Their programmes has allowed students to undertake remote internships, or ‘externships’ with these companies, working on real projects. The students gain invaluable skills and experience as they begin to prepare for the world beyond school, something that is central to the ACS ethos.

Paragon One externships were eight-week remote, part-time, experiences. Students spent a minimum of 10 hours each week working on their projects, using an online platform to manage their work, connect with other students and to check-in with their managers. Thirteen students from Grades 9 to 12 have already participated in the programme this year. They worked incredibly hard and showed a huge amount of commitment to complete their programmes on top of all their regular schoolwork. We’re proud of every single one of them.A cohort of 31 more students from Doha and the UK will start their externships in May 2021.What did the students do during their externships?Students were placed with a company, based on their areas of interest that they included in their application to the programme. Once they started their externship, they logged into their Worker Platform to learn skills and complete their assigned projects. They attended meetings to review work, ask questions, and receive support from their manager and host company throughout the eight weeks, and had access to their student community 24/7.How will they benefit?Universities and employers are increasingly looking beyond exam grades, seeking real-world experiences in students’ applications and resumés. Completing an externship will not only add enormous value to a student’s university application; it will provide them with invaluable experience and helped them to develop the skills they will need as they enter the world beyond education.Which companies could students work with and on what type of projects?The companies that Paragon One work with include Facebook, HP Tech Ventures, RallyCry Ventures, Thematic, Younity and Crafted Capital. Depending on the company that a student is placed with, they could be working on a variety of projects, such as product development, PR and marketing campaigns, statistical analysis, and financial management. All of the projects are designed to develop students’ skills in time management, critical thinking and general business understanding.

In a digital age that not only requires but expects graduating students to enter the workforce with skills and savvy, remote externships stand out as work experience opportunities that allow students the flexibility of asynchronous work, while providing them with a scaffolding of mentorship that eases their transition from classroom to office.

Paragon One

I am doing my remote externship with Thematic, a company that connects content creators with music artists. I am hoping to gain the experience and the skills I need to work in a professional environment.

My current project focuses on researching artists whose music would be an excellent fit for Thematic. I have also been contacting the artists to have their music on the platform, which develops vital communication skills. The weekly and company meetings have been very helpful – this is where we get to clarify all our questions and talk about the industry with high-ranking professionals from the company.

This opportunity is allowing me to engage in experimental learning that enhances my intellectual, personal, and professional growth and to obtain skills that will be crucial for what lies ahead.