Customized Internship Programs

for international students in Argentina and Uruguay

Puentes builds bridges to connect undergraduate students and recent graduates with professional and cultural opportunities in Argentina and Uruguay. The core component of the Puentes experience is an engaging internship at a high-performing nonprofit, business, or government agency, with meaningful work and close supervision. The internship is complemented by personalized professional development, engaging cultural activities, and constant support for the students before, during, and after the Puentes adventure. Puentes seeks to shape global citizens who bring an international perspective to their spheres of work and influence.

The Internship

The focus of the internship is a keystone project, which the intern leads and concludes over the duration of the internship. The keystone project should be designed to directly contribute to one of the organization’s key work areas so that the intern gains real experience and know-how through substantial, mission-driven work while the internship site benefits from the valuable, targeted work output. Interns may work full-time or part-time.  The duration of the internship varies according the intern’s availability and the preferences of the internship site, but typically internships are at least eight weeks. Interns are not paid.

The Matching Process

Puentes customizes internship options according to applicants’ professional interests and goals. Based upon the student’s application materials and an initial phone conversation with Puentes staff, Puentes refers the student to up to three internship sites. Puentes shares with the potential internship sites the student’s resume, as well as letters of recommendation or a personal statement. The applicant interviews by phone or Skype with each internship site. The Puentes staff then collects the student’s preferences and the internship site preferences. Puentes notifies applicants where there is a match in preferences. Upon receiving an internship offer, the student will have up two weeks to accept or decline the position. When a placement is confirmed, Puentes reconnects the student with the confirmed internship site supervisor to complete an Internship Work Agreement to outline goals, expectations, and details for the internship so that all expectations are aligned before the internship begins.

The Role of the Internship Site Supervisor

To be considered as a Puentes internship site, the organization or business must complete an Internship Description Form, which outlines potential keystone projects and areas of work. Upon receiving application packets for interested students, the internship site interviews potential interns and provides the Puentes staff with feedback. Where there is a match, the internship supervisor completes an Internship Work Agreement with the intern. Puentes expects that that internship supervisor provide adequate supervision, meaningful work, and performance feedback throughout the internship. Puentes staff will conduct an initial meeting with the intern and supervisor during the first days of the internship to review together the project work plan. Then Puentes staff will return to the internship office to conduct a mid-internship site visit to provide a space to communicate learnings, challenges, successes, and goals. At the end of the internship, the intern and internship supervisor will have a closing meeting to reflect on your internship experience, and the internship supervisor will complete a brief, written evaluation of the intern’s work.

Why work with a Puentes intern?

Organizations and businesses that work with Puentes interns receive many benefits. First, they will have an enthusiastic and skilled young person to help them complete timely and important projects. Second, the organization will participate in a rewarding program that helps undergraduate students and recent graduates gain valuable professional experience, while becoming immersed in a new culture. Third, the organization will meet talented young people who foster cultural exchange in the office and who could be future employees.

WELL-DESIGNED PROJECT CONCEPTS

To help spark ideas, the following are types of projects that have been successful for past interns:

Business Development

  • Research new client leads, conduct personalized outreach to leads, and help to create proposals for potential clients.

  • Conduct a market analysis for the company's expansion to a new country or market.

Communications & Social Media

  • Develop and implement the social media plan for one of the company's key products or services.

  • Craft communication materials and identify contacts for outreach to key stakeholders.

Coordination & Service

  • Develop a customer loyalty program and do outreach to potential partners that would provide value to the customers.

  • Plan and coordinate a new social program to increase the organization's impact.

Fundraising

  • Research and identify possible grants available from international funding sources and then prepare and write grant proposals in collaboration with the organization’s program directors.

Graphic & Web Design

  • Conceptualize and develop new features for the company's online platform.

  • Build a new mobile application to support the company's products and services.

  • Create a brand manual for the company or organization.

Marketing & Writing

  • Develop the strategy and content for a specific marketing campaign, implement the campaign, and measure its success based on key indicators.

  • Conceptualize and create blog posts and website content to help increase awareness of the company's or organization's brand.

Monitoring & Evaluation

  • Develop indicators and corresponding surveys to measure a product's or program's success, implement the surveys, analyze survey response data, and make recommendations for how to improve the product or the program impact.

Research & Analysis

  • Research best practices from different regions and prepare a report with recommendations based on the best practices for how to improve the product or program.

  • Analyze the company's financial processes and their implementation, identifying key areas for improvement.

  • Interpret existing product or program data through statistical analysis, organize learnings, and create dashboards and graphics to show results and findings.

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