Internship in Africa?
Hey everyone,
I’m a freshman at a I’d say barely semi-target school, and I was just offered an extremely intriguing opportunity.
I had a chat with an alumni a few months back, and he essentially controls the commodity trading of a single crop for a whole African country. And his colleagues control the trading for the surrounding countries. He emailed me yesterday asking if I’d be interested in an unpaid but expense-covered internship with him and his colleagues, where I rotate between 3 countries in Africa learning about their trading processes. His work genuinely interests me but this seems like a huge thing to take on my freshman summer. What are your guys thoughts on this, would it be worth doing? I was thinking it’d be smarter to ask to do it my next summer, before my junior year. Please let me know your thoughts, thanks.
This opportunity sounds both unique and valuable, especially for someone at a barely semi-target school looking to stand out in competitive fields like commodity trading or finance. Based on the most helpful WSO content, here are some key considerations to help you decide:
Pros of Taking the Internship Now:
Cons or Challenges:
Key Questions to Ask Yourself:
Alternative Approach:
If you’re leaning toward waiting, consider reaching out to the alumni and expressing your interest while asking if the opportunity could be deferred to your sophomore or junior summer. This would allow you to gain more foundational experience and make the most of the internship when you’re better prepared.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re genuinely interested in commodity trading and international markets, this could be a game-changing opportunity. However, if you feel unprepared or unsure about committing to such a significant experience as a freshman, it’s okay to wait and revisit the opportunity later. Either way, maintaining a strong relationship with the alumni is crucial, as they could be a valuable mentor and connection for your future career.
Sources: Unpaid Internship, https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/my-take-on-unpaid-internships?customgpt=1, Advice: BP IST Finance & Risk Summer Internship, Unpaid Internship is Paradise
This sounds like an incredible opportunity man, and I’d absolutely jump on it if I were in your position. I managed a trading desk at an ABCD and still wish I could have experienced something like you have the chance to experience there. Not only is it a great professional opportunity, but it’ll make you a more interesting person in general, which is not something that many people in finance are.
It's rare for freshmen to even find internships, much less internships in a field that they're interested in. Beyond that, I think that this is just an incredibly cool experience to have when you're young (and I'm sure you'll come back with tons of stories).
I'm working in commodities, but the extent of my experience is staring at a screen. It's dope that you'll be able to see the supply chain from inception at no personal cost.
At worst, it's a vacation. At best, it'll be a super sick experience for you to talk about when you end up recruiting for S&T or trading or HFs.
Damn I envy u so much. Ur a freshman and what else can u lose? At worst its a vacation.
no brainer yes
As long as there has been no talk of “you can meet my friend, he’s a Nigerian prince” then I’d say do it. You’re going to see some stuff that will blow your mind… it’ll change you. This is one of those things where unless there’s some major red flag slapping you in the face, you’ll regret not doing this.
Do it 100%!
Say yes immediately there is no debate here do it right fucking now
If you don’t do it you will regret it
Do not push it to another summer. For your freshman summer I could not imagine an opportunity better for your career and also extremely cool. Don’t fuck this up.
Fucking do it
Quidem velit doloremque enim qui aliquam itaque. Aut quia excepturi beatae rerum mollitia illo. Quia pariatur ratione iste in nihil qui maxime aut. Dignissimos sunt minus animi libero esse adipisci. Eos sed sed quos sit commodi dignissimos. Consequatur delectus voluptate autem ducimus dolores. Vero dolorem veritatis autem voluptas adipisci harum.
Ut hic dolores molestiae ratione. Non natus labore quam voluptatem sint officia quaerat. Sit temporibus aut molestiae nulla dolores. Et ducimus quia tempora est et consequatur. Dolores vero pariatur ut magni qui quod nulla ea. Vitae aut sequi delectus vel est dolor.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...