I N T E R N S
Our Interns and Trainees
We love to tell stories about our interns and trainees and we try to feature as many of them and share their adventures here in California. Below you can read more about a handful of our great interns and trainees!
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FANNY
Swedish American Chamber of Commerce 
ABOUT Fanny is 22 y/o and originally from Uddevalla, Sweden. She is currently studying her BSc in Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås. This fall Fanny is doing an internship at the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in San Diego, as a Marketing & Life Science intern. What are you helping the organization with? I’m handling the marketing on all of our channels which includes the website, our monthly newsletter and our social media platforms. I’m also the contact person for our corporate member companies, where I arrange and communicate their member advantages. This can for example be to plan events, create articles and marketing for the company in collaboration with the Chamber. What's the best thing about doing an internship in the U.S.? The best thing about doing an internship in America is to experience the working culture, to daily communicate in English and create a wide network. I’ve met a lot of inspiring people that've been easy to connect with and the opportunities in the U.S. feels endless! How do you spend your spare time? In my spare time I like to work out, go for hikes and hang out with my roommates and other friends I’ve met so far. Our household is renting a car so we often go on road trips and adventures in California during weekends. I also spend a lot of time at the beach since it’s just a 15 minutes walk away and it’s amazing to eat dinner by the sunset! |
OKKO
Finnish American Chamber of Commerce 
ABOUT Okko is 22 y/o from Helsinki, Finland. He is currently studying Business at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences with a majoring in Global Markets and Trade. To complete his studies, he is doing an internship at FACC San Diego as a Business Development and Marketing intern. Why did you choose to do an internship in the U.S.? I wanted to challenge myself in a new environment and improve my English. I haven’t been to the U.S. before, so this was the perfect opportunity to finally come here. In the future, I aim to start my own globally successful business, so being in the home of startups gives me tools for the future. How has working at FACC improved your knowledge and skills? I have become a more independent professional who can do a wide range of tasks related to Business Development and Marketing. My self-orientation and prioritizing skills have also improved recognizably. This internship has given me the opportunity to network and explore innovative startups as well. What is the best adventure you have experienced in San Diego? I surfed here for the first time in my life and I fell in love with the sport immediately. If you come to San Diego, I highly recommend you to try surfing, it is so much fun! |
ISABELL
Snake Oil 
ABOUT
Isabelle is 21 y/o from Stenungsund, Sweden. She is studying her BSc in Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås, and is currently doing an internship in San Diego at Snake Oil as an Marketing assistant. Her previous work experience has been within sales, event and marketing. How did you hear of The North-West Passage? I heard about TNWP during my first year of college through my mentor and I became very interested! Since we have a semester with practice included in the bachelor program I have known for a while that I wanted to apply. What does a typical day at your internship look like? I start around 9 AM with updates on our social media platforms and continuing with some administrative work until lunch. During the afternoon I mostly sit down with the marketing team designing and planning for photoshoots, commercial posts, updates on the website etc. I also work at events 1-2 days a week. What are the biggest learning's you take from the internship so far? I have improved my skills in Photoshop, Canva and editing videos. I have also learned how to take part in my work and be a more independent professional that takes more initiatives! READ MORE 
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ALBIN
Snake Oil 
ABOUT Albin is 23 y/o from Mölndal, Sweden and is studying Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås. He is currently doing an internship at Snake Oil as an Event Coordinator in San Diego. He has previously worked within the Event Industry and has experience from both catering and working as a bartender. How do you think this internship is helping you with your future career? My future goal is to start my own company in Sweden with a similar concept as Snake Oil. I have had a lot of valuable learning and experience of the logistic work, the coordination and all the planning each event needs, since it’s a lot of preparation you might not think of just attending an event. Where is your internship located and how do you get there? The office is between Old Town and Downtown in San Diego. I share a car together with my roommates so I mostly get there by public transportation and sometimes by car when it's available. What were your expectations of SD and what do you like the most about the city? The city is a lot bigger than I thought and there is so much to see and explore around the area. I like that it’s close to the ocean and all the activities you can do around here such as surfing, playing volleyball, spikeball etc. I also like the relaxed vibe here in San Diego, everyone is very friendly and open and it’s easy to meet new people! |
PAULINA
Swedish American Chamber of Commerce 
ABOUT Paulina is 25 y/o from Stockholm, Sweden and just finished her bachelor degree in Business and Economics from Uppsala University. She is currently doing an internship as a Management Associate at the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce in San Diego. What do you do at SACC? I’m handling the marketing for our yearly Green Connections conference on our channels and social media platforms. I’m also responsible for our corporate member companies within the cleantech industry, where I arrange and communicate their requests. This can for example be to plan events, create articles and market the company on our platforms. Where is your internship located and how do you get there? The office is located in Pacific Beach and it’s just a 15 minutes walk from where I’m staying! What's the best thing about doing an internship in the U.S.?There are a lot of advantages by doing an internship in the U.S! To experience the working culture and environment have been very valuable for me since I see myself working aboard in the future. I have also gained a wide network and I daily get to communicate in English. |
FELICIA
Swedish American Chamber of Commerce 
ABOUT
Felicia is 26 y/o from Västerås, Sweden and is studying Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås. She is currently doing an internship at SACC within Finance and Operations in San Diego. What caught your interest in this internship? What caught my interest for this internship was partly because of the well known international organization and great network the Swedish American chamber has. I also thought the role was interesting and relevant for my education with varied tasks, flexibility and a lot of responsibility. How has working at SACC improved your knowledge and skills? I have improved my leadership skills, my communication skills both internal and external for the organization. I’ve also developed my skills in accounting and finance, coordination and planning! What advice can you give others looking for an internship in the U.S.? As practical advice coming to the U.S. I really recommend everyone to start with the visa application on time since it’s a lot of paperwork. I would also recommend being prepared financially because it’s expensive to live in the U.S, there are for example prices with excluded taxes, high rents and in many cities you’ll need a car to get around. For the internship and working improvements I highly recommend you to take initiative and speak up. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses so you can focus on what you know you want to enhance. Be open and upfront to your supervisor at an early stage about your expectations and skills you wish to improve! READ MORE
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MANDANA
Vaco 
ABOUT Mandana is 29 y/o from Helsinki, Finland. She graduated her MBA in International Business in December 2021 and moved to California at the end of August 2022. Why did you choose to do an internship in the U.S.? I chose to do this internship in the US since I wanted to gain more international experience and work in a diverse team. It was a great opportunity to try something new, learn about the culture in the US and widen my network. Where is your internship located and how do you get there? My internship is located in San Francisco but I am currently based in Southern California, Orange County. What advice can you give to others looking for internships abroad? My advice for people looking for internships abroad is to widen your social circle, network as much as possible and find opportunities through the people you meet. It is the best guidance I have ever received when it comes to finding a new job. |
JULIA
Volo Sports 
ABOUT Julia is 23 y/o from Stenungsund, Sweden. She is currently a student at University of Borås and studies the last year of her BSs degree in Business Administration. Her previous work experience has been within sales, retail and events. This fall she is a Marketing and Sports Management intern at Volo Sport in San Diego. What does a typical day at your internship look like? My days look in general very different since I both work in the office and at the events we are hosting every week. I’m mostly in charge of 2-3 projects at a time which includes coordination and administrative work in the office, leading the tournaments and marketing for these events. What's the best thing about doing an internship in the U.S.?The best thing about doing an internship in the U.S. is that I get to improve my English skills, challenge myself and get outside my comfort zone. I have also experienced a new culture with many great opportunities! Do you think your experience will give you a competitive advantage when going back home? Yes, I think the experience and knowledge this internship has given me definitely will boost my resume and help me in the future. Especially since I want to work within the Sports Industry and preferably abroad! |
LUDVIG
The Humble Co. 
ABOUT Ludvig is 23 y/o from Gothenburg, Sweden. He is currently a student at University of Borås and studies the last year of his BSs degree in Business Administration. He has previous work experience within the retail industry and event management. This fall he is doing an internship at The Humble co. as a sales coordinator in San Diego. What are your main tasks at your internship? I mainly work with the administration that includes handling the email communication with our clients and dealers, sending out samples and orders to different stores and private customers. I also participate in our different events around the U.S. where we expose the brand and interact with new potential clients. How has the internship been in comparison with your expectations? The internship has been beyond my expectations! I get to participate in several fairies and trips around the U.S. They give me a lot of responsibility and there are very good opportunities to continue working for the company after my time as an intern. What advice can you give to others looking for internships in the US? To be forward and open to learn new things, there are so many great opportunities you can take advantage of! I would also recommend planning your visa process and budget in advance. It's a lot of paperwork and the living expense is higher in the U.S compared to Sweden. |
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OLIVER
Volo Sports 
ABOUT Oliver is 23 y/o from Gothenburg, Sweden. He is studying his BSc in Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås, and is currently doing an internship in San Diego at Volo Sport within Sports Management and Marketing. Where is your internship located and how do you get there? The office is located close to Old Town in San Diego and I get there by car. How do you think this internship is helping you with your future career? I think my resume looks more attractive with an internship in the U.S. because I get to challenge myself and come outside my comfort zone, but also because it’s given me an insight and wider perspective of different work cultures. Additionally I think the international network I’ve built during my time here could be an advantage for my future career. How do you spend your spare time? I’ve been exploring the San Diego area as much as possible and tried different cultural activities such as Taco-Tuesday, Trivia Night and Pickleball. I also spend a lot of time at the beach together with my friends and enjoy the amazing weather in Southern California! |
MANUELA
Gemini Observatory 
ABOUT Manuela is 28 y/o from Brazil and is studying a Masters Degree in Control and Automation at Aalborg University, Denmark. She is currently in Hawaii doing an internship at Gemini Observatory as a Control Engineer. How did you hear about The North-West Passage? I found out about The North-West Passage through a friend that also was going for an internship in the U.S. What is your best learning experience in the internship so far? I have been learning a lot about cassegrain telescopes and night operations. I am currently developing a controller to compensate for undesired vibrations generated in their primary mirror. How do you spend your spare time? In my spare time I participate in science talks at Gemini, go exploring the island, exercise, but most of the time I am mainly studying since there is so much to learn. |
EMMA
Volo Sports 
ABOUT Emma is 25 y/o from Halmstad, Sweden. She is studying her last year of BSs degree in Business Administration - specialization Event management at University of Borås. This semester she is doing an internship at Volo Sport within Marketing and Sports Management. How did you find this internship? I got recommendations from my University where other students had received help with internships in the U.S from The North-West Passage. After a few meetings with Ted he helped me get in touch with Volo Sports and I applied for the internship. What caught your interest in this internship? What caught my interest in this internship was that it not only included working with sports, but also with big events for different companies and private individuals. I also liked the possibility to work on projects where you are a part of the entire process from start to finish, and get to see the results! How is it to work in this international environment? It is very developing and interesting to work in another culture and in another language for me, since it's so different from working in Sweden. I have improved my English and I have learned more about myself, how I communicate and take part in my work. |
Students we have helped!
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