International Internship Program
Council is committed to driving Brisbane's economic growth by nurturing and broadening opportunities for both local businesses and the city's talented tertiary students.
Through Council's International Internship Program, participating businesses will gain invaluable access to Brisbane's vibrant tertiary student talent pool, harnessing their diverse expertise, cultural awareness, and linguistic abilities to propel business expansion across domestic and international markets.
Meanwhile, participating students are presented with an exclusive opportunity to embark on a 4-week paid internship aligned with their academic pursuits, collaborating closely with local businesses who are keen on exploring innovative avenues for growth.
About the program
Brisbane-based businesses can express their interest to host an intern for up to 4 weeks with Council subsidising 50% of the wage cost for the business. Additionally, Council identifies and matches the best professional applicant to the Brisbane business for no additional charge. The program will also support professional development and enhances future employment prospects for Brisbane’s domestic students with multicultural backgrounds and international students from our Sister Cities studying in Brisbane.
Host businesses may be from a range of sectors including, but not limited to, consulting, digital and technology, education and training, engineering, media, professional services, tourism and hospitality, and trade and investment development. Students will be selected from a variety of education disciplines and matched with the most relevant employer to suit their skillset.
Apply to be a host business or intern
Host business expressions of interest and student intern applications for the 2025 International Internship Program are expected to open in September 2024.
This program is delivered once annually. The next round of placements is expected to take place in early 2025.
Testimonials
Host business representatives
“KOM Consulting has ambitious growth goals, but we always lack the time to focus on key sales and marketing initiatives. Brisbane City Council’s International Internship Program plugged this gap beautifully: we got a fantastic master’s student in who brought the expertise and capacity we were lacking. He was so good that we decided to keep him on afterwards! The facilitation of the program by Council was excellent and seamless, from the first interview through to the closure ceremony, the experience couldn’t have been better.”
Philipp Joebges, Director, KOM Consulting
Successful interns
“The International Internship Program was a transformative experience for me. I'm grateful to Council and my host business for this wonderful opportunity. If you're ambitious and want to bring a fresh perspective to your career, don't hesitate – apply now!”
Sari Akkad, 2024, intern representing the Syrian community
"The International Internship Program provided me with a valuable opportunity at my host business, which helped me gain critical consulting and marketing workforce insights and skills that will help kickstart my career in Australia. The program also has allowed me to understand how marketing functions in different countries."
Bhavith Morla, 2024, intern representing Hyderabad
"As a representative of Shenzhen, Brisbane's sister city, I'm thrilled to participate in this internship. With a keen interest in marketing, this program has provided me with invaluable insights into the Australian market and allowed me to apply my knowledge in real-world scenarios. My host mentor has been an exceptional teacher, patiently guiding me and addressing my inquiries. This experience has fostered a connection between me and Brisbane City."
Xuanxi (Cici) Xie, 2024, intern representing Shenzhen
Subscribe to receive updates
To receive email updates on this program, email Council.