Home > News > Internship opportunities help AIT students develop professional knowledge and skills
News

Internship opportunities help AIT students develop professional knowledge and skills

31 Oct 2022
AIT webmaster

Office of Public Affairs

Pranamya Man Dhoubhadel, an MSc International Finance student at the School of Management of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) shares his internship experience. 

I joined AIT in August 2022 and am the recipient of His Majesty’s scholarship. The scholarship process is very competitive as it is awarded to students with excellent academics. I was very fortunate to be one of the recipients of the scholarship as I was eager to join AIT’s School of Management, which is globally recognized and the best in Thailand. AIT has been an excellent learning platform for me, with ample opportunities. 

The International Finance program that I am enrolled in is designed for students to understand the diverse financial markets and is facilitated by both academicians and financial market practitioners. Through this program, we learn to identify how industry practice builds upon established theoretical principles and develop practical approaches to investing and risk management.

As a finance student, I am very much invested in the concept of compound growth, wealth management, and sustainable financing. In one of the courses, I was introduced to the growing concept of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance Aspects) and Sustainable Financing by our Dean, Dr. Roger Levermore. Through this course, I understood how industries are moving from CSR to ESG and how investment firms and financing institutions are moving towards energy-efficient projects, green development, and enterprises that produce sustainable products. In addition to the course, we understood that ESG has become a global norm, and job opportunities for this sector are growing rapidly. 

At AIT there are various student opportunities available on and off campus. In addition to the courses and other engagements at AIT, I was also looking for an internship opportunity. I came across an internship announcement from the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) for communication and project management. Being a finance student, I had little experience with communication, and it wasn’t my strength. So, although I wasn’t very confident, I applied for the communication position with low expectations.  

In one of my other courses – Agile Thinking and Digital Transformation- we understood that people need to possess cross-functional skills that can help the organization in multiple ways while working in a multi-disciplinary team. Thus, I felt this internship would be a perfect opportunity to enhance my communication skills, which I can later implement in my professional life. 

After several rounds of screening and interviews with the ISC team, I received the opportunity to work with ISC as a communications intern. This internship selection process tested my nerves and helped me understand the process and the need to be patient.

The six months internship at ISC has been an incredible journey for me, filled with a lot of learning. Through ISC, I have understood more about the concept of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the Mekong region. I have broadened my horizon on sustainability and the concept of sustainable financing. As a communication intern, I developed my report-designing skills and conducted various hybrid events in countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I was fortunate to travel to Vietnam for the event as well, where I experienced Vietnamese culture, which was unique. 

Being involved at ISC, I have realized that significant changes can help towards sustainable growth, and small changes, such as changing the light bulbs at factories help companies attain such growth. I am thankful to AIT for providing me with an opportunity and to ISC for becoming a huge step in my development.

Institute for Sustainable Communities is focused on helping people and the environment at the same time. Since its inception in 1991, ISC has led transformative, community-driven projects across the globe. Over the years, it has developed an approach that supports a community’s ability to meet challenges. In the Mekong region, the organization aims to accelerate sustainable textile and food via ESG adoption in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam and is working to help address economic, social, and environmental challenges to build a better future shaped and shared by all. 

Pic Cr. Institute for Sustainable Communities Facebook page