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CHINA: FASCINATING JOURNALISM WORK EXPERIENCE INTERNSHIP IN BEIJING

Company : Travellers Worldwide
Activities : Gap year / Career break / Work Placements / Media / Journalism Work Experience / Internship / Jobs / Professional Work / Summer Jobs
Countries : China
Location : Beijing, China

Info

This unusual work experience placement enables you to peek behind the scenes of a magazine and get an insider's perspective on the Chinese media!

In a world of competition where an army of graduates are lining up for the top jobs, this project would set you apart from the crowd and make employers look twice.

PROJECT OVERVIEW
You will work as a Journalist at one of two Magazines. This project offers work in both Journalism and Photojournalism and you should specify which you would like to focus on in your application.

The magazine you are placed at will do their best to provide a work experience for you that matches your skills and interests, however it is important that you can be flexible as you may not always be able to work full time in your chosen area. For this project, we are looking for volunteers who have particular interest/skills in one (or more!) area(s) but are also happy to get involved in anything the Magazine would like them to be involved in. As long as you are flexible and prepared to adapt, you will have the opportunity to learn and grown within this placement under the supervision of an experienced editorial team.

For Journalism Interns: You will usually be able to focus only on editorial work if you wish. This means that you will spend your full-time placement working with the editorial team, researching, writing and editing for the magazine.

On your first day you will be taken in by one of the Travellers Staff Members in Beijing, and introduced to the staff at the Magazine. You will also meet your supervisor. Dependent on the magazine you will work for, you will either work for approximately 6 hours or 8 hours a day, with an hour to lunch, but this can be subject to change.

You will be working both individually and as part of the team. The post, as with all work in such fields, will respond to the amount of energy you put in. If you are enthusiastic and offer a professional manner then you will be rewarded by being given better and better opportunities.

Communication with your fellow staff members will not be a problem and you do not have to know any Mandarin to join this project. Your Supervisor speaks perfect English and so do many of the other staff at the office. A little Mandarin knowledge will go down extremely well, however, so you should make the effort to learn a little before you arrive.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

Skills in writing, editing, general journalism and interview techniques

An insider's perspective into the real world of journalism and media in China

An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into the Orient and Chinese culture.

New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

MAGAZINE 1: CHINESE CULTURE
The magazine you will work at publishes a variety of articles about Chinese Culture. Its aim is to introduce Ex-Pats to China while educating, informing and entertaining. The magazine features articles on travel, Chinese culture, food, modern life, language, art, business and more. The magazine covers a massive range of things and is a very interesting read – if you’re interested in getting under the skin of Chinese Culture, you’ll love it. Examples of recent articles include:

Travel – Articles on various towns, festivals and tourist attractions all over China

Chinese Old Wives Tales

Chinese Modern Art

Traditional Chinese Cookery

Beijing's Avant Garde Architecture

The History of Chopsticks

Marriage in China - Ancient & Modern Perspectives

Chinese Dining Etiquette

Chinese Humour

The life of Confucius through cartoons

The magazine has a global distribution of around 50,000 copies every month. It is sold throughout China, Hong Kong and Singapore, and also has readership in many other countries around the world. They also publish an e-newsletter each week, which you can be involved in writing.

Readership:

Foreign students studying in China and overseas Chinese language learners

Diplomats at foreign embassies in China

Chinese and Chinese culture teachers from educational institutions and training centers

Foreign tourists in China

Foreigners working in China and business staff, including many senior government managers

Chinese culture students from many countries

All articles in this magazine are published in English.

Sample articles written by volunteers available on request - please contact us

MAGAZINE 2: ADVERTISING
This project is only suitable for those with advanced Mandarin Chinese, as the magazine is printed in Mandarin and staff do not speak very much English. If you cannot write fluently in Mandarin script that's okay, as your articles will be translated for you before publication.

The magazine you will work at is the leading Chinese professional journal in marketing, advertising, design and media studies. It first started in 1983 so has a long history of experience in the field and in 1997 it was advocated by the marketing council. At this magazine, you may also get the chance to experience different departments, including Marketing, PR, advertisement and website design and technology. Please let us know if you have a particular interest in

The magazine is very excited to offer this internship to Travellers interns as they hope that they will gain further understanding of the western media with the objective of improving the magazine’s world-wide influence.

All articles in this magazine are published in Mandarin.

Sample articles written by volunteers available on request - please contact us

National Holidays in China
All projects will break for Chinese National Holidays. The main events are:

Chinese New Year - usually sometime in late January or early February. All projects will break for 1 or 2 weeks for New Year

May Holiday – usually the first week of May. Most projects break for 3-7 days

October Holiday – usually the first week of October. Most projects break for 3-7 days

There are also a number of shorter holidays throughout the year where some projects will be closed. You are very welcome to join a project during holiday time, however you will not be able to work if your project is closed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD
A shared room at the Beijing hostel
You will stay in a modern and friendly, central hostel along with the other volunteers. The hostel features air-conditioning, 24-hour hot water, a self-catering dining room, laundry room, general store, game room and a reading room. Internet is available at an hourly rate. Residents may use the heath center and other entertainment facilities at the next-door 5-star Great Dragon Hotel.

The hostel is located in a lively area, where you will have the chance to meet other backpackers and travellers. There are many shops in the surrounding area if you need to stock up on anything, and the hostel is extremely close to Beijing's famous Sanlitun Lu - or 'Bar Street', where everyone hangs out in the evening for drinks and fun! The Lufthansa Shopping Centre and other tourist hot-spots are within easy walking distance of the hostel

There are 35 rooms in the hostel and you'll share with 3 others of the same sex (you can upgrade to a single room if you prefer, just let us know at time of booking (there will be a supplemental charge for this).

“The hostel is one of the best I have ever stayed in - and I have stayed in a lot! They clean the rooms every day, and change bedding every 3 days (I have never stayed in a hostel that changes bedding!!)” – Jessica Saunders

FOOD:
Past volunteers have regarded eating out as one of the highlights of living in Beijing, and an essential part of Chinese culture! Because of this, the price of your placement does not include food, you’ll get the chance to venture out and sample some of the fabulous food which China is famous for.

The cost of eating out in Beijing can vary from a just a couple of pounds up to a couple of hundred pounds! This is one city where you certainly won’t have any trouble eating well on a tight budget - there are some very inexpensive options available and you'll dine out handsomely on about £4 ($6); although you could be lucky and get away with spending even less and still be eating well.

TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Limited, ATOL No. 6856. Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.

BEIJING - You'll fly into Beijing International Airport where you'll be met and taken to your accommodation and your placement.

Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable ticket.

VISAS: We'll send you all the necessary forms and information and make the process very easy for you.

To read about the excellent Support & Backup we provide before you leave and during your programme, please click here.

We can also arrange your flight dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!

Duration

From 4 weeks up to 12 weeks, subject to visa requirements.

Start Dates

Flexible start and finish dates you choose. Our placements are flexible and can be tailored to match your preferences. For availability please contact the office.

Costs / Benefits

Costs vary depending on length of placement, but starts at £1,295 for four weeks. You can participate for up to one year, subject to visa requirements.

Included is full support from the moment of booking and throughout your placement to your return home. There are support staff 24/7 in all our destinations worldwide and a 24 hour emergency international telephone line direct to the Head Office. All meals are provided, unless otherwise stated. Accommodation is provided (whether a rented house, a hotel/hostel, homestay, apartment or flat).

You’ll be met at the nearest airport on your arrival by our in-country manager who will take you to your accommodation and give you a full induction into the area. He/she will also be on call 24/7 and you’ll see them frequently.

Pre-departure you’ll receive comprehensive information about every aspect of your placement and necessary preparations, ranging from what to pack, to visa information, to what to do on your weekend travel in the country. Your safety, well being and happiness throughout your placement are our primary concerns and we will keep in touch with you throughout. International flights not included.

Requirements

An interest and enthusiasm for media or journalism. You do not need experience, but any experience you do have will support your application.

No knowledge of Mandarin necessary, but a little basic Mandarin will make your placement much more enjoyable. Computer skills and use of Word and Excel is an advantage for any journalism project.