CRCCAsia Internships

[roddy]

These people (CRCCAsia.com) have popped up on the old radar a couple of times lately, anyone know anything about them, or have dealt with them? The website makes them at least look like a bigger operator than the usual internship providers. £3000 for a three month internship though...

There's a fair bit of discussion about them on this UK forum.

[dlee85]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b015b92b/From_Birmingham_to_Beijing_The_Lure_of_a_Chinese_Career/

Worth a listen. CRCC Asia are mentioned in it.

Something irks me about paying to work. For £3000 you could work for free in China for at least six months and have a grand old time.

[Brian US]

Is it just me, or does it raise red flags whenever an odd school or program feels the need to spend time on random forums to defend itself?

[roddy]

That's perhaps the UK's largest graduate jobs website, it's hardly random. And no, it doesn't raise any red flags.

[icebear]

I think it raises red flags whenever you are expected to pay for an internship opportunity. The best students should be able to get the best internships on the merits of their background.

My completely anecdotal impression of paid-for internships are that they target students who lack a competitive profile, but in the end are unlikely to do much for them (i.e. they send a negative signal to employers). I think these kind of students/new workers would be better off working for relatively smaller/unknown companies where they would be valued as interns. Again, just my impression.

[Crcc Asia]

We'd like to address the previous comments.

Firstly, we work hard to maintain our reputation as a high quality internship provider and so when posts appear on forums that cast us in a dubious light, we feel compelled to respond.

Secondly, as far as paying for an internship, we feel this is a misrepresentation of our program. Our China Internship Program is so much more than just internship placement. It includes housing, visa, weekly social and networking events, twice-weekly Mandarin lessons, airport pick up, welcome banquet, cultural training, and 24/7 on-site support and management. For those who are familiar with China and/or have good Chinese business connections, it is entirely possible that they may not need our assistance. For all others, however, we provide a valuable service in easing the transition into the Chinese business world.

With thousands of satisfied alumni, many of whom have gone on to succeed professionally, we feel that our program speaks for itself. To read testimonials from some of our program participants, please visit our website.

Please don't hesitate to contact any of our five offices worldwide with any other questions or concerns.

Kind Regards,

The CRCC Asia Team

[dlee85]

I think you may have interpreted my post incorrectly. I don't question what is offered for the price of the programme but rather the ethics of paying to get ahead. Call me an idealist, but I agree with icebear, the best internships should be available to the best candidates. Paying to intern gives an unfair advantage to those who are able to afford it.

Besides that, the skills you learn by finding your own work are invaluable i.e. the networking, letter writing, discovering what works etc etc.

[jbradfor]

It includes housing, visa, weekly social and networking events, twice-weekly Mandarin lessons, airport pick up, welcome banquet, cultural training, and 24/7 on-site support and management.

If you can disclose such information, does any of the GBP3000 actually go towards paying the companies at which the internships occur?

Paying to intern gives an unfair advantage to those who are able to afford it.

As opposed to the fair advantage of, say, growing up in better areas with better schools, having parents that pay for / support a wider range of extra-curricular activities which helps getting into better schools, having a larger choice of schools to choice from because tuition / fees is less of an issue? Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, paying a bit for an internship seems a pretty minor unfairness. [i do agree that there are skills to be learned by finding one's own internship.]

[dlee85]

My guess these internships are targeted at students/graduates. I would argue that once both types of students are at university the playing field has been levelled and whether they are successful or not is upto the individual. But now the disadvantaged student has to work the summer in a supermarket in to order pay for his living costs next semester whereas the other student is getting 'valuable' work experience via a paid for internship. This is when it becomes unfair.

[thechamp]

I actually did an internship through CRCC Asia and I would say that they're ok. Everything is sorted for you that could be quite difficult to sort yourself from your home country eg accommodation, your placement, chinese classes (which were actually awesome because no one went except me!) etc....can't comment on stuff like networking events because I didn't go but I think they're generally a bit pants. Plus, I didn't go to China to hang out with Westerners! The ability of interns varied hugely but I'd say the people who got the most of it were doing it as part of a 'year out' thing.....either to get into China and start learning Chinese (like me) or as the beginning of a trip around China and Asia.

As to 'level playing field'...Are you joking?! Once you get to university and beyond you realise there's no such thing....people who're well connected will do well no matter how mediocre they are as students.

I think what you're saying is true btw (that placements should go to people who've demonstrated talent/intelligence/whatever), it's just not the case in reality. BTW I worked as a prep chef, waiter and NHS admin person all the way through university...so didn't really start doing 'work experience' til after graduation. I generally agree with you....but good companies/firms require that you have work experience in the relevant sector

[lakers4sho]

Has anyone looked into this before? Or perhaps someone has some first hand knowledge or experience regarding their program?

 

http://www.crccasia.com/internships/

 

It just strikes me as weird, that I have to pay them to be an intern. Not to mention that the costs are exorbitantly high for a poor uni chap like me. Their one month internship would cost me $2895 dollars! Accommodation is included in that, but does it really cost that much to live in China? I'd still have to pay for my own food and whatever other expenses.

 

Anyways, if anyone has input regarding this, I'd really appreciate it.

[icebear]

Paid internship programs are for well endowed, lazy, overachievers. Very common, actually.

 

I'd steer well clear of any. Search for internships on job websites, or better yet sign up for a 3-6 month study abroad program and do an internship half time during that - much better investment of time and money.

 

Edit: Just to clarify - for all three of those attributes combined. And not that there is anything wrong with any of those attributes.