International Internship Program

Council is committed to Brisbane's economy by creating and expanding opportunities for Brisbane's businesses and talented students.

Participating businesses will have the opportunity to access Brisbane's tertiary student talent pool and leverage their knowledge, cultural understanding and language skills to grow their business in both domestic and international markets.

Participating students will have an exclusive opportunity to gain four weeks of degree related, paid work experience with local businesses aspiring to explore new opportunities.

About the program

Brisbane-based businesses can express their interest to host an intern for up to four 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, aviation, digital and technology, education and training, health and aged care, 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 have now closed.

Upcoming placements are expected to take place from 1-26 April 2024.

Requirements to be a host business

  • This is a valuable, partially subsidised, paid internship program initiated by Brisbane City Council. The salary for the intern placement will be based on a casual employment arrangement. Council will subsidise 50% of the labour cost for the 4 week placement, with the host business contributing 50% to the remainder of the student's wage.
  • You must not use the intern to displace an existing employee, or reduce an existing employee's hours of work.
  • You must not provide the intern with extra hours of paid work outside the hours of the internship.
  • You will be required to ensure a qualified person conducts and records a risk assessment for each intern.
  • You are not obliged to employ the intern upon completion of the internship program.
  • Your business interests, sector and needs will be taken into consideration during the process of matching the host business to an internship program participant.
  • You are expected to ensure the intern has a positive experience during the process and period of the internship program by:
    • ensuring a representative is present for the internship interview and induction
    • ensuring that a supervisor is assigned to the intern for the entirety of the placement
    • ensuring that work is assigned to the intern and the intern is aware of the expected outcomes
    • communicating expectations from the beginning of the placement and providing continuous feedback.
  • The internship must:
    • be for four weeks from 1-26 April 2024
    • be for a maximum of 20 hours per week
    • be for a minimum of 2 hours per day
    • not exceed a maximum of 7.25 hours a day
    • not include working on a public holiday.

Eligibility criteria to be an intern

Domestic student
  • You must be a domestic student with a culturally and linguistically diverse background and have at least one natural parent born in a country other than Australia.
  • You must currently live in the Brisbane City Council local government area.
  • You must be an Australian citizen or hold Australian permanent residency.
  • You must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree or higher at an institution in the Brisbane City Council local government area.
  • You must be currently enrolled in the final year of study in 2024.
International student
  • You must be an international student enrolled in an undergraduate degree or higher at an institution in the Brisbane City Council local government area.
  • You must hold a valid student visa
  • You must be in your final year of study in 2024.
  • You must currently live in the Brisbane City Council local government area.
  • If English is not your native language, you must have obtained an Upper Intermediate to Advanced English level under the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an overall academic score of 6.5, or PTE (Pearson Test of English Academic) with an overall academic score of 59-64.
  • You must be from one of Brisbane's sister cities (listed below), or have lived in one of them for more than 12 months, with proof of residence.
    • Abu Dhabi
    • Auckland
    • Chongqing
    • Daejeon
    • Hyderabad
    • Kaohsiung
    • Kobe
    • Semarang
    • Shenzhen.

Testimonials

Host business representatives 

“Outsource Institute's participation in the internship program was a transformative experience. Our intern brough expertise in supporting diverse learners to provide disability and inclusivity training to our international engineering students and staff. Our intern's dedication and valuable insights have led us to integrate this training into our ongoing induction processes, creating a more inclusive workplace. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of Brisbane City Council's International Internship Program, connecting us with talented individuals to help us grow globally.”

Stephen Love, Managing Director, Outsource Institute 

Successful interns 

“The International Internship Program is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for students from a diverse background. My experience was absolutely wonderful and I can't thank Council or my host business enough. If you're a go-getter like myself, who wants to experience something different and bring your own unique perspective to something, don't even think about it – apply now. You won't regret it!”

Felix Tang, Successful intern representing the Chinese community

“As an international student form Brisbane's sister city, Chongqing, I am honoured to have been offered this valuable internship at my host business. During this program, I gained transferrable skills and industry insights. This internship is an excellent start to my career!”

Yunzhu (Vicky) Yang, Successful intern representing Chongqing

"This program provided an incredible platform to put my academic knowledge into practice and collaborate with seasoned professionals in the field. The experience opened my eyes to global marketing strategies and expanded my skills set. I'm immensely grateful for the personal and professional growth I've gained from this opportunity."

Kangping Li, Successful intern representing Auckland

More information

For more information about the program:

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