Participating in industry–academia collaboration programs is a shortcut for students to avoid becoming unemployed immediately after graduation.
Industrial Technology Research Institute Industry Academy Talent Development Program Director Zhou Yi-jun stated that, taking the “Taiwan-Germany Elite Program” promoted by the Council of Labor Affairs as an example, 80% of the students who went abroad for workplace experience were successfully retained by the companies afterward.
International Internships Provide Real-World Experience
Chinese Culture University and the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan recently signed an industry–academia collaboration agreement, launching the relatively rare “International Workplace Experience” program in Taiwan.
Because of cultural differences, European companies operating in Taiwan often struggle to find suitable talent. Most of the positions currently offered are in marketing and sales, and employers hope applicants will actively demonstrate themselves.
Liao Zhao-hong, Director of Industry–Academia Research and Development at the university’s Extension Education Division, stated that in the program’s first phase, seven member companies from the European Chamber’s Small and Medium Enterprise Center would provide thirty to forty internship and part-time positions for junior and senior undergraduate students at the university.
In the future, all 420 corporate members of the chamber are expected to participate. Large multinational companies such as Standard Chartered have also shown interest in the internship program. Students’ internship and working hours may be converted into one to three graduation credits, and students with outstanding performance may eventually become full-time employees at European companies in Taiwan and enter multinational corporations.
Be Proactive and Demonstrate Ambition
Liao Zhao-hong explained that the cooperation between the university and the European Chamber mainly stemmed from the lack of practical workplace experience among Taiwanese graduates, while European foreign companies commonly face difficulties finding suitable talent in Taiwan.
He noted that the most popular job openings currently offered by European companies are in marketing, sales, information management, and research and development. European employers generally prefer applicants who are proactive learners, highly motivated, and willing to participate in discussions.
Elias Ek, co-chair of the European Chamber’s Small and Medium Enterprise Committee and General Manager of Enspyre Mobile Business Center, stated that the main weakness among Taiwanese students is that they often seek “good jobs” without having clear motivation or direction.
He hopes interviewees will actively ask questions at the end of interviews, creating an atmosphere of discussion that allows both sides to understand and absorb each other’s ideas.
Foreign Language Ability Is Not the Key Factor
During his experience interviewing Taiwanese employees, Elias Ek found that as many as 60% of job seekers failed to clearly present themselves or demonstrate preparedness for the position.
He explained that internships at small and medium-sized foreign companies can help individuals later transition into large multinational corporations, but only if candidates are able during interviews to explain their career perspectives and clearly express “what they want.”
Siegers, General Manager of the Taiwan-based information services company Songfuli, believes that foreign language ability is not necessarily required to enter foreign companies; it depends on the job content and position. Young job seekers should not automatically give up internship opportunities simply because they feel their language abilities are insufficient.
Zhou Yi-jun stated that, based on her experience organizing workplace experience programs, about half of employers believe students are unprepared, with foreign companies perhaps being the most sensitive to this issue.
She also noted that currently only around 20% of universities offer internship credits, most of which are in medical schools, while opportunities in business schools remain very limited — something she considers unfortunate.
