10 Best Places for Internships in the Americas in 2018

If you’re after some real life work experience, look no further than the Americas. In fact, internships in America are some of the most coveted ones in the world. If you can show your boss you’ve got the right stuff, you may end up starting your career there after your internship. Internships in this part of the world can be paid or unpaid (note that you won’t be earning the big bucks just yet so go easy on the designer kicks).

Want to work in a big city? Try an internship in the Americas!

An America internship goes beyond the US or Canada. Although, internships in the US or Canada do look super impressive on your resume, wherever you choose to work in the world. While here, you can gain valuable global work experience in popular fields like advertising, media, business, and politics. If you’re looking to earn more experience with an NGO or foreign language education, sign up internships in America in Mexico. If you play your cards right, you could even end up saving turtles and getting a tan with internships in the Caribbean. Caribbean internships allow you to learn about your professional self on land and in the water.

Let’s continue our journey south.

Thinking about teaching English? Try education internships in South America and Central America. The region is also a mecca for environmental conservation internships in Latin America. You could be tracking rare species on the Galapagos Islands, exploring green technology in Costa Rica, or studying plants that could cure cancer in the Amazon rainforest. Popular South America internships also involve helping street children get an education and avoiding prostitution and drug addiction.

Let’s jump in, shall we? We asked, you told. Here are the 10 top countries for internships in the Americas in 2018.

1. United States

An internship in the US will put your career in high gear

The land of opportunity continues to attract international interns, and with good reason, too!

Finding internships in the USA for international students is like hitting the jackpot because many employers like to see whether you’ve spent time in a country that knows how to work and play hard. You could find yourself with an America internship at a top-notch publishing house in Manhattan or interning with a startup that sells fitness gear in Austin. Alternatively, you could work at a ski resort in Colorado or help keep America’s national parks beautiful all year round. Start applying for internships in the USA for international students before it’s too late!

See ALL intern abroad programs in the US

2. Canada

Intern abroad in one of the best places to live in the world, Toronto.

Like its neighbor to the south, Canadians know how to bring home the bacon (we mean um, ham). However, in Canada, employers tend to promote healthy work/life balance; you may find yourself doing equally hard work but clocking less hours than your American counterparts. You can find internships in Canada in almost any field, whether it’s working at a science museum in Toronto, rubbing shoulders with bankers in Ottawa, or helping keep the Great White North wilderness squeaky clean.

Recommended program: Intern abroad in Canada with World Internships

See ALL intern abroad programs in Canada

3. Hawaii

Colorful surfboards lined up on a sidewalk

Want to intern on a tropical island? Surf’s always up in Hawaii!

Want an America internship with a lovely twist? Head to the state of Hawaii for tropical weather, volcanoes, mountains, waves, and of course plenty of places to intern! Work anywhere on the Big Island (Hawaii), Oahu, Kauai, or Maui. Teach tourists how to appreciate the natural beauty of the islands with environmental education internships. Work in the blue to save coral reefs and threatened marine species. If hospitality’s more your game, work at top resorts and hotels that dot the islands. These America internships are one of a kind!

Recommended program: Intern with KoKoLuLu Farm & Retreats Center in Hawaii

See ALL intern abroad programs in Hawaii

4. Brazil

We’d want to intern in Rio, one of the coolest cities in South America, too.

If you’re after good—like, really good—internships in South America, look no further than BRIC powerhouse, Brazil. Head to Rio de Janeiro to work with NGOs that serve the city’s favelas or intern with urban development firms that are continuously improving its infrastructure. Find music and dance internships in Salvador, Brazil’s most Afrocentric city and spiritual home of capoeira. If you’re a law, political science, or journalism major, head to Brasilia. Want to work in healthcare? Head to São Paulo for South America internships.

Recommended program: Get professional internships with Intern Brazil

See ALL intern abroad programs in Brazil

5. Colombia

Forget Narcos! This is the real Colombia!

Did you know that Colombia is one of the best places for internships in South America? Its emerging economy and affordable cost of living makes it attractive to many seeking international work experience. The warm-hearted Colombians aren’t bad either. Bogotá is the place to find internships in almost any field, whether it’s business or manufacturing. Head to Medellín, HQ of Bancolombia, to work in banking and finance. It’s also easy to get ESL teaching experience in almost any part of the country for Latin America internships.

Recommended program: Live a Life-Changing Experience with Internships Colombia

See ALL intern abroad programs in Colombia

6. The Caribbean

We have a feeling you might find your calling amidst Caribbean internships

Who doesn’t dream of interning in a tropical paradise? You’re bound to find something up your alley on any of the 30 inhabited Caribbean islands. Understand what it’s really like to work in a multicultural office in English-speaking Trinidad and Tobago, Spanish-speaking Cuba, or French-speaking Haiti. Popular internships in Caribbean include environmental and marine conservation, human rights, education, social work, and, more recently, hurricane relief efforts. A big heart is bound to stand out on your resume!

Recommended program: Intern in the Caribbean with CCMI

See all intern abroad programs in the Caribbean

7. Peru

America internships require tons of work—but also give tons of reward.

Peru ticks all the boxes when it comes to internships in America. It’s a great location to get work experience in business, healthcare, NGO work, and teaching English as a foreign language. Find the bulk of opportunities in Lima and Cusco. However, if you want to work with the environment and with local communities, head to smaller places like Urubamba and Iquitos. Use your time abroad in Peru to learn Spanish and Quechua, one of its indigenous languages, to make your resume really stand out. There’s really no better spot for internships in Latin America!

Recommended program: Intern in Peru with Maximo Nivel

See ALL intern abroad programs in Peru

8. Mexico

Enjoy the hustle and bustle of work while interning abroad in Mexico.

Think only the US and Canada have the best America internships? Think again! Mexico can give either a run for their money with lots of opportunities, especially for English speakers who want to speak Spanish like (and with!) the locals. If you’re looking to get more business experience, head to Mexico City, the capital and the largest city in the country. Guadalajara is popular with journalism, marketing, and PR interns, while Oaxaca and Cancun are good for tourism and hospitality internships. ¡Viva la México professional work experience!

Recommended program: Find internships in Mexico with ELI Abroad

See ALL intern abroad programs in Mexico

9. Argentina

Want to feel a bit European on the South American continent? Find internships in Latin America in Argentina! Buenos Aires is a popular choice for first-timers who want work experience in almost any field. Other intern abroad destinations in the country include Cordoba, Salta, and Mendoza. Argentina is one of the best places to find internships on vineyards and cattle farms and in media, technology, and international relations. In your free time, explore the eighth largest country in the world to your heart’s content!

Recommended program: Intern in Buenos Aires with Connect-123

See ALL intern abroad programs in Argentina

10. Chile

With office views like these, you’ll never get tired of internships in Chile.

Last—but certainly not least—for internships in the Americas is gorgeous Chile. This slim beauty is well known for its buena onda (good vibes), making it a pleasant place to intern abroad. You can find placements along the length and breadth of the country but the majority of opportunities are concentrated in Santiago and Valparaíso. Popular international internships include civil engineering, business, sustainable development, and economics. Brush up on your español chileno before you go to make the transition in the fast-talking Chilean workplace much easier.

Recommended program: Intern in Chile with Adelante Abroad

See ALL intern abroad programs in Chile

A note from GoAbroad

We’d like to thank our community for not only inspiring us daily, but for also giving us enough insight to share accurate predictions for meaningful travel in 2018.

Learn more about our research methodology, recommended programs, and links here.

Read the full report here.

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