Major hospitals, professional sports teams, and even the United Nations. These are just three of the organizations where Grade 10 students from the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) spent a full week working as part of their required curriculum.
This “real-life” experience called World of Work is not just a dull working experience where students make copies and push papers; it’s a chance to have a hands-on understanding of their future interests and learn the value of a hard day’s work.
WAB Grade 10 student Mason had the opportunity to intern at United Family Hospital. His daily tasks included assisting the medical staff and staying actively engaged in emergency situations. As he recounted, “I was in the examination room with Dr. Soon from Family Medicine when suddenly a loud announcement rang out, indicating a ‘Code Blue’,” he recalled. “As I followed the medical staff, I saw that one person had collapsed. The doctors and nurses were checking his pulse and staying by his side until he stabilized.” Where else could you have this experience?
Mason’s experience not only provided him insight into the day-to-day of how a hospital operates but also gave him a clear vision of his future. “Before this, I was more interested in the field of bioengineering but not particularly passionate about medical matters,” he said. However, after experiencing the medical field firsthand, his perception has completely changed. “At this juncture, I’ve decided to pursue a career in the medical field.”
Another Grade 10 student, Weizhen, found an internship with Beijing’s famous Guoan Football Club.
Weizhen’s primary task included helping with the Logistics and Medical Department, and he got to accompany the team as they traveled for an away match to Henan province. “I got to see how professional teams train and operate,” he said, “which aligns with my career goal of working for a professional football team.”
However, it wasn’t all work. Weizhen also got to watch the team in action during a professional match, a genuine “real life” experience that no teen will soon forget. “The most rewarding part was to be with the team and watch them play,” he said. This job is truly perfect for football lovers and for students interested in a future in sports management.
Another Grade 10 student, Matteo, spent a week working at the Beijing office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), where he learned about the office’s mission: to ensure that everybody has the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge, having fled violence, persecution or war at home.
Matteo’s focus during the internship primarily revolved around logistical support. “I had the opportunity to do many different types of work, but one that really stood out was working on a World Refugee Day event, where over 100 donors gathered to celebrate and advocate for additional support,” he said.
However, with rewarding experiences come challenges. “The most challenging aspect of the internship was definitely adapting to the pace of the working environment and diverse tasks,” explained Matteo. “But I navigated this by seeking guidance from experienced colleagues and also my supervisor at work.”
If you want to learn more about the World of Work program or Western Academy of Beijing in general, contact their admissions team.
Justin Lau is a Grade 10 student from Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) currently interning at True Run Media (the parent company of jingkids) through WAB’s World of Work program.
Images: courtesy of students
