Alumni Journey - Elle Williams

Here is the fifth installment our Alumni Career Journeys, showcasing former Intern Colombia interns who share with us the advantages of an internship abroad.

An international internship can help make you stand out from the competititon and make you more employable in in the job market.

Following her internship in Colombia, Elle persued a career in Human Rights by becoming a Child Trafficking Specialist with a world-renown NGO. Here she talks to us about the impact of doing an internship in Colombia & how it has influenced her life so far:

At the moment, I work as a Child Trafficking Specialist for an international NGO. I’ve been in this role for almost five years, and before that I worked in similar human rights and advocacy roles supporting vulnerable people. Interning abroad in Colombia had a huge impact on both my career and my personal development. Professionally, it strengthened my passion for human rights, particularly anti-trafficking work. While anti-trafficking isn’t as widely discussed in the UK as it is in some other countries, there is still a significant need for work in this area. My experience in Colombia gave me first-hand exposure to issues such as exploitation, forced displacement, women’s rights and the impact of conflict. That understanding became the foundation for the roles I’ve gone on to do, and I genuinely believe it was one of the experiences on my CV that made employers interested in me. Personally, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. It gave me more confidence, motivated me even further in my career, and even allowed me to learn a little Spanish. It also solidified my love of travelling and introduced me to South America, especially Colombia, which is still one of the most incredible places I’ve ever visited. So much so that I’m returning almost ten years later to see it again! I would absolutely do this internship again and would recommend to anyone even slightly interested! It was invaluable for both my professional development and my personal growth, and it’s an experience I’ll always be grateful for! 

Stay tuned for the next installment of our Intern Colombia Alumni Career Journeys! We will continue to share long-term impacts on interning abroad.

This article was written & published by Intern Colombia