Asia Internships To Boost Young New Zealanders’ Careers

Eighteen New Zealand tertiary students and recent graduates will experience how business is done in Asia while undertaking domestic, online and in-country internships this summer.

The Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono has been offering business internships since 2009 and is continually growing its pool of partners, to keep up with today’s business needs and Asia’s exciting, diverse industries.

After moving internships online in 2020 due to Covid disruptions, the Foundation is pleased to again support New Zealand tertiary students and recent graduates to undertake paid internships in Asia, as well as in New Zealand-based and virtual placements.

Asia New Zealand Foundation business programme director Nicholas Siu says the Foundation values the chance to collaborate with a diverse range of host companies to grow the Asia capabilities of young New Zealanders — and contribute to the wider business sector.

“The unique skills, knowledge and cultural understanding they acquire will equip them well to work in and with the region in the future; and add to New Zealand’s pool of Asia capabilities.

“Talking to previous interns, we know these internships are lifechanging experiences that can really set the interns on a path to success in their chosen field and for a career with an Asia focus.

“Asia know-how and experience is in increasing demand in New Zealand workplaces, given the region’s significance to New Zealand.”

The 18 interns will spend up to three months interning at companies working in or with Asia, using skills relevant to their university studies.

The 2022 internships will cover 11 sectors: law, biotech, creative industries, digital marketing, tax and auditing, aerospace, trade and export and future food. Hosts are located in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand.

The host organisations are:

• Beach House Pictures/Doc Edge
• CJ Cultural Foundation
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre
• KPMG Vietnam
• United Media Solution
• Shiok Meats
• New Zealand China Council
• Eat The Kiwi
• Nutrition Technologies
• Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency
• Tata Consultancy Services

Some interns have already begun their internships, while others will start in coming weeks. The full list of interns, backgrounds and placements is below.

For more information on the internships, please visit our website: https://www.asianz.org.nz/business/internships/

About the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono

Established in 1994, the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono is New Zealand’s leading authority on Asia. We provide experiences and resources to help New Zealanders build their knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive in Asia. We work in partnership with influential individuals and organisations in New Zealand and Asia. www.asianz.org.nz

Find out about the interns

Brigham Riwai-Couch, communications student at the University of Canterbury

Brigham will intern with the CJ Cultural Foundation in South Korea. Brigham will conduct market research on film and music industry relevant to the CJ Cultural Foundation’s work and social media trends. As part of this internship, Brigham will be working online for six weeks, followed by the opportunity to visit South Korea for one-two weeks at the end of their internship. Brigham is in his second year studying communications, majoring in Te Tauwhitinga Māori Communications at the University of Canterbury.

Cassidy Ray-Matthews, accounting student at the University of Canterbury

Cassidy is currently interning with KPMG in Vietnam. She will be supporting the tax and corporate services team at KPMG, where she will have a chance to contribute to international meetings and activities. Cassidy is studying accounting at the University of Canterbury and is currently on exchange in Singapore.

Finn Massey, computer science student at the University of Auckland

Finn will be interning online with Tata Consultancy Services. During this internship, Finn will learn how TCS provides solutions to customers in the banking industry. He will also build his knowledge of how business requirements translate into technology needs and how to incorporate data into business decisions. Finn is studying computer science and statistics at the University of Auckland, following his passion for programming and software development.

Gabby Milne, arts and commerce student at the University of Otago

Gabby is currently interning online with United Media Solution. She will have the opportunity to enhance her marketing research skills as well as get an understanding of Chinese digital media. Originally from Southland, Gabby is in her third year at the University of Otago, studying international business, global studies and Chinese.

Grace Kerr, engineering and commerce student at the University of Auckland

Grace is currently interning online with United Media Solution. She will have the opportunity to enhance her marketing research skills as well as get an understanding of Chinese digital media. Grace is studying engineering and commerce at the University of Auckland.

Grace Piddington, laws and arts student at the University of Otago

Grace is currently interning with the New Zealand China Council, based in their Auckland office. She will support the work of the New Zealand China Council by contributing to research, public events, social media initiatives, and monitor research relevant to the Council’s work. Grace is currently studying a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Otago, which she will be completing overseas in 2023 at Yonsei University in South Korea.

Hannah Allan, commerce student at the University of Otago

Hannah is currently interning online with NZ-based F&B exporter Eat The Kiwi. Hannah will participate in building a supplier CRM system; source assets that can be used for social and marketing purposes, and update offshore market collateral. Hannah is in her final year at the University of Otago studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce in Management, with double minors in human resources and Asian studies.

Harriet Yeoman, management studies student at the University of Waikato

Harriet will intern with KPMG in Vietnam from early December 2022 to mid-February 2023. She will be supporting the deal advisory team at KPMG, and will contribute to international meetings and activities. Harriet is in her final year at the University of Waikato studying a Bachelor of Management Studies (Hons), majoring in accounting and minoring in economics.

Isabella Cleary, postgraduate journalism student at Massey University

Isabella (Bella) will be interning with the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) Journalism Professional Practicum in Jakarta, Indonesia. This programme typically consists of two weeks’ intensive Indonesian language training and seminars, followed by a four-week supervised industry placement with local or international media or communications organisations operating within Indonesia. Bella has a degree in marine biology and is a recent graduate of Massey University’s postgraduate diploma in journalism. This opportunity is offered and supported through the Asia New Zealand Foundation’s media programme.

Jessica Layburn, mechanical engineering student at the University of Canterbury

Jessica will intern with Nutrition Technologies in Malaysia. Jessica will support the engineering team in their day-to-day responsibilities, as well as engaging with the senior management team in the longer-term development planning of the scale-up facility. Jessica has just finished her third year of mechanical engineering at the University of Canterbury and will complete her fourth and final year in 2023.

Libby Mckinnel, communications student at the University of Canterbury

Libby will intern with the CJ Cultural Foundation in South Korea where she will conduct market research on the film and music industries relevant to the CJ Cultural Foundation’s work and social media trends. As part of this internship, Libby will be working online for six weeks, followed by the opportunity to visit South Korea for one-two weeks at the end of their internship. Originally from Gore, Libby attended school in Christchurch and is currently in her second year of studying towards a Bachelor of Communications at the University of Canterbury.

Lucy Manahi, food technology (hons) student at Massey University

Lucy will intern with Shiok Meats in Singapore where she will conduct market research to support strategic business planning and product development and support the business department in strategising and implementing key projects. Lucy is an Honours student at Massey University studying a Bachelor of Food Technology, specialising in product development.

Lydia Joyce, music and laws student at Victoria University of Wellington.

Lydia is currently interning online with Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) through to the end of January 2023. HKIAC is one of the world’s leading dispute resolution institutions, specialising in arbitration, mediation, adjudication, and domain name disputes resolution. Lydia will work at HKIAC on a specific project relevant to her area of study. Lydia is in her fifth year studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Music, majoring in classical performance, at Victoria University in Wellington.

Melika Lolaki, screen and media studies, and computer science student at the University of Waikato

Melika will intern with Beach House Pictures in Singapore. In a unique partnership, Melika will work closely with Beach House Pictures development team and Doc Edge, New Zealand’s national documentary industry organisation to brainstorm new ideas, answer pitch briefs from channels and clients, research and organise stories and write up documentary pitches for an international audience. Melika is an up-and-coming filmmaker and Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar at the University of Waikato where she conjointly studies Screen and Media Studies and Computer Science.

Phillip Kosetatino, design student at the University of Auckland

The Foundation has worked with TupuToa to place Phillip at an internship online with United Media Solution. He will have the opportunity to enhance his marketing research skills as well as get an understanding of Chinese digital media. Phillip is studying a bachelor of design at the University of Auckland.

Siveshearn Jaynessh, mechanical engineering student at the University of Waikato

Siveshearn (Jay) will intern with Geo-Informatics Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) in Thailand. GISTDA is a Thai government agency that focuses on efficient management and operation for geo-informatics applications in Thailand. Jay will be working within his area of study, and will have the opportunity to be involved in satellite researching, design, testing, and other related tasks. Jay has just completed his third year of studies in Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) conjoint with a diploma in engineering management at the University of Waikato. This placement is run in partnership with the Asia Internship Programme (AIP).

Sokpangna Khun, data science student at the University of Auckland

Sokpangna (Pang) will be interning online with Tata Consultancy Services. During this internship, Pang will learn how TCS provides solutions to customers in the banking industry, build knowledge of how business requirements translate into technology needs and learn about incorporating data into business decisions. Pang is in his final year studying Data Science at the University of Auckland.

Stephen Jannink, laws, politics and Mandarin student at the University of Otago

Stephen is currently interning with the New Zealand China Council, based in their Auckland office. He will support the work of the New Zealand China Council by contributing to research, public events, social media initiatives, and monitor research relevant to the Council’s work. Stephen is currently studying law, politics and Mandarin at the University of Otago. He has lived and studied in both France and China, which pushed him to continue studying Mandarin when he returned to New Zealand.

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