Invest in your future

Virtual internship programs

Includes courses in partnership
with the University of Richmond

Join virtual internships from anywhere

How people work, study and live has changed rapidly over the last few years. If you have access to a computer and the internet, you instantly have access to a world of possibilities.

Virtual internships are a savvy way to get the practical work experience you need to land that purpose-driven job you’ve been dreaming about – from the comfort of your own home.

When you do a virtual internship with GVI, you’ll do actual project work that is solving real sustainability problems – in partnership with renowned conservation organisations in locations all over the globe.

You could help by analysing photos of baby sea turtles, or scanning drone footage of tropical coral reefs. You could set up a fundraising campaign to help fight rhino poaching, or do research about creating an environmental education campaign for fishing villages.

Although this sounds exciting, we know that you probably need the flexibility to make it work. That’s why you’ll have complete freedom to choose your own GVI virtual internship subject area, project focus, duration and pace to suit your lifestyle and personal goals.

 

GVI virtual internship types

We offer a variety of subject areas and project focuses to choose from. Our targeted approach ensures that your experience is highly relevant to what you would like to do in your career, getting you one step closer to your dream job.

Virtual internship subject areas

When you join a virtual internship, your first step will be to identify a conservation subject area that sparks your interest the most. These include:

 

If you’re keen to explore virtual internships in the community development sector, we also offer a range of subject areas over at GVI People, which include: global public health, human rights and access to justice, social economic development and education for development.

Virtual internship project focuses

After choosing your subject area, you’ll be able to go even deeper and choose specific project work that you would love to be involved with most. The focus areas that you can choose from typically include:

  • operations and program management
  • data analysis and research
  • marketing, media and communications
  • fundraising
  • law, advocacy and policy.

 

GVI online courses included

During your virtual internship with GVI, you’ll not only get practical experience and develop new skills, but you’ll also get the opportunity to complete quality online courses that are endorsed by the University of Richmond. The selection of online courses include:

 

If you opt to do a virtual internship focused on community development, you’ll also have access to the Careers in Sustainable Development course, as well as these additional online courses: Community Development, Human Rights and Advocacy and Global Public Health.

 

Duration and structure

Our virtual internship programs are structured in a way that will keep you accountable, while also giving you the flexibility you need to complete it in your own time.

You can choose between the following virtual internship durations:

  • 40 hours
  • 80 hours
  • 120 hours 

 

You can also determine your own pace – committing to either 5 hours per week or 10 hours per week.

 

Are virtual internships for you?

Anyone interested in working in the conservation and sustainability industries would benefit greatly from joining a virtual internship with GVI. No matter how much (or little) you already know, or whether you have existing experience or qualifications or not.

Joining a virtual internship program is perfect for you, if:

  • You’re in high school and have a summer break or holiday coming up.
  • You’re studying at university or college and want to do real project work.
  • You’ve just completed a qualification and need practical experience.
  • You’re considering changing your career or field of study.

 

Benefits of doing virtual internships

There are so many good reasons for you to do a virtual internship with GVI. Not only will you be playing your part to contribute to positive environmental impact, but you’ll be advancing your own career in the process, remotely.

Here are some of the main benefits of joining a virtual internship:

  • Get international experience with global organisations, while saving travel and accommodation costs.
  • Offer your support to the impactful work of our partners, while investing in your own personal and professional development.
  • Conveniently test out a new career direction before commiting.
  • Gain practical work-related skills to enhance your career.
  • Get additional qualifications and references to boost your CV.
  • Learn about the culture and values of an organisation.
  • Build a network of industry professionals.
  • Learn how to work effectively online by using a range of digital tools.

 

Support and guidance

As a virtual intern with GVI, you’ll get matched with a GVI virtual internship supervisor to guide you every step of the way.

They’ll brief you on your project work, do weekly check-ins, set up meetings between you and our partner organisations, and be your support system throughout your entire journey. They will also help you showcase your GVI virtual internship on your CV and add a reference to your LinkedIn profile, to boost your career.

As well as your weekly one-on-ones with your assigned mentor, you can attend two career coaching sessions and have the opportunity of joining monthly masterclasses delivered by experts in your field.

 

Virtual internship partners

GVI partners with over 600 international organisations, governments, NGOs and social enterprises across our range of programs on GVI Planet and GVI People. We are passionate about collaboration to ensure sustainability, and our virtual internships are no different.

Here are a few of our renowned partners that you could be doing your internship with:

 

4 subject areas to choose from

1

Wildlife conservation

Gain real experience in wildlife conservation by doing a virtual internship alongside leading environmental organisations that focus on important environmental challenges. You’ll walk away with valuable first-hand experience, a greater practical understanding and professional connections that will help you pursue a successful career in conserving wildlife.

2

Marine conservation

Take a deep dive into marine conservation practices and methods to kick-start or accelerate a career dedicated to preserving our ocean’s ecosystems. Throughout the program, you’ll collaborate with marine conservation experts and organisations to help replant coral reefs, combat poaching and promote the protection of valuable marine areas.

3

Climate crisis and clean energy

No matter what specific career you decide to pursue, everyone in sustainability can benefit from gaining a greater understanding of the realities and impacts of the climate crisis. Discover sustainable clean energy solutions – such as solar, wind and wave power – and learn how climate change is affecting ecosystems, communities and local livelihoods across the world.

4

Environmental and corporate sustainability

If you’re passionate about empowering businesses to operate more sustainably and responsibly, our environmental and corporate sustainability virtual internship is a great option. Get real-world experience in sustainability – a highly sought-after skill by employers that will give you that competitive edge to build a successful career in this field.

Hear from our interns

Giulia | Marine Conservation

Sonia | Climate Crisis and Clean Energy...

Willem | Wildlife Conservation...

Bella | Marine Conservation...

Jessica | Climate Crisis and Clean Energy...

Hashikka | Wildlife Conservation...

Dan | Marine Conservation...

Robin | Wildlife Conservation...

Samantha | Marine Conservation...

Sammy | Wildlife Conservation...

What you get

Endorsed <br/>certificate

Endorsed
certificate

Endorsed <br/>certificate

Complete two online courses and earn a certificate from the University of Richmond.

A professional recommendation

A professional recommendation

Get a professional recommendation from your personal mentor that details your skills and accomplishments.

Masterclass lecture series

Masterclass lecture series

Attend an immersive masterclass lecture for each internship project, delivered by leading academics and local experts.

Real world projects

Real world projects

Complete a project that solves a problem for a real organisation and add it to your resume.

Personal mentorship

Personal mentorship

Receive support from your dedicated internship supervisor during weekly one-on-ones, and career coaching sessions from an external expert.

New, verifiable skills

New, verifiable skills

Learn new skills, relevant to an impact-focused profession, and apply them to real scenarios.

Up to
GBP 200
grants
Get a GBP 200 grant towards
an in-country internship

Book and pay for your virtual internship program, and receive a GBP 200 grant towards an internship in any of our locations around the world.

Apply

Prices

Select a duration
Hours
Study pace: 5 hours / week8 Weeks16 Weeks24 Weeks
Study pace: 10 hours / week4 Weeks8 Weeks12 Weeks
Price£ 745£ 1195£ 1495

What's included?

Apply

15 reviews

India

20 Jan, 2022
I really enjoyed my time with GVI. I learned so much and really grew as a person over the duration of my internship. I now have a stronger idea of the roles I want, and how to work towards achieving them.

Aisha

21 Dec, 2021
This internship was very helpful. I was able to work with a diversity of people that all had advice that help go one step closer in the right direction. I gained a lot of research experience and also conservation experience. This internship allowed my to get experience that will help me out in the career field since this is essentially what I will be doing in my career.

Pamela

12 Nov, 2021
The remote internship with GVI was an incredible experience, it was interesting, helpful, informative and overall an incredible experience.

Brenna

20 Aug, 2021
I enrolled to help me figure out where in Sustainability I want to focus on. It was a great experience for my career exploration and to add to my resume . I enjoyed my time with my coach, in networking sessions, and all the coursework. This was a wonderful and edifying experience!

Bernadette

18 Aug, 2021
Coming into this internship, I was just looking for more career experience but the people I met through it were so much more rewarding than that. The other interns and supervisors were all so kind and they really inspired me by how they are bettering the world. As a senior in high school who is just getting started on life, the internship was so inspiring and rewarding.

Sonia

19 May, 2021
I will recommend further workshop sessions because there are many important tools that we are unaware of.

Alasdair

08 Apr, 2021
I really enjoyed doing my virtual internship with Breathe Conservation and found researching the company and their cause of plastic pollution inspiring.. I gained new graphic design skills using Canva and around fundraising for small charities. My supervisor Matt was always very approachable, friendly and helpful. The Career sessions with were insightful, especially the one on one I got as only person able to attend. And the networking /icebreaker sessions hosted by Tami were great to have informed discussions and speak to other like minded GVI's all over the world

Sophia

27 Mar, 2021
I thought this course was very interesting and gave me a lot of great tools to utilize moving forward in my career. Being a young professional, sometimes it's difficult to know exactly where to start and how to make yourself standout when it comes to looking for a job. I very much appreciate this course and would definitely recommend it!

Brandon

23 Mar, 2021
I took a similar marine conservation course in my university, so I was expecting to learn similar things in this course. But I'm glad that there were still new things that I learned, such as the case studies and the focus on community-driven actions! This was a great class to learn all the broad and important topics surrounding marine conservation! I enjoyed learning about the different communities around the globe that are working to protect our oceans.

Sofieke

08 Mar, 2021
I loved the program in general! Would definitely recommend, the only thing I missed was more contact with the organizations where I did the projects for. We had just 2 meetings and I think if it would be possible to do 3, one in the beginning, one in the middle and one in the end. To discuss the end results with them would be helpful and to get feedback face to face instead of just a review over e-mail. I really missed that. But overall I had amazing supervisors and really enjoyed it. Cant wait to do something in the field.

Rebecca

04 Mar, 2021
My GVI experience was like nothing I've ever been a part of before, it really opened my eyes to new experiences and it allowed me to be challenged. Not only was it an amazing experience but it's been really beneficial in helping me get a clear understanding of the route I need to go down for my career now.

Timberlyn

01 Feb, 2021
I really like how it helped prepare us to be able to professionally conduct a successful interview without feelings of doubt or lack of preparation. It has also equipped me to be able to create my own personal brand while learning to network and connect with other like-minded people. This course has tremendously aided me with securing tools that I will always have whenever I seek to acquire a job that aligns with my values and work set.

Clare

06 Dec, 2020
A detailed course focusing on all different aspects of how to stand out in a job search as well as how to find out if you will be happy in said job or career field, which is often an overlooked aspect of finding a future career as the obsession becomes with finding employment rather than finding a personally sustainable career. The course is clearly laid out and has clear, concise, and informative modules and information. I found that the course covered some topics that were outside that of my BSc, including the methods and influences of funding in conservation. As well as more in-depth coverage of the history of conservation.

Isabelle

30 Nov, 2020
I absolutely loved this course, even though I study marine biology so I knew a lot of the scientific component, I learnt a lot about the economic side of conservation surrounding legislation and specific case studies. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about marine conservation.

Adelaide

02 Nov, 2020
My internship supervisor was understanding, engaging, and kind, but I felt assured of her knowledge on the topic of concern and her focus on my experience in the program. I feel as if the team was supportive, but more importantly engaged me with the down-to-earth relationship dynamic. Although learning virtually is difficult to adapt to, I felt more engaged with people while having the opportunity to maintain personal initiative in the work and preparing for calls. I gained practical awareness of how to better present myself with unfamiliar virtual platforms, and I had the support to best do so.
Includes courses in partnership with
Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies