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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
You can also determine your own pace – committing to either 5 hours per week or 10 hours per week.
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:
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
Complete two online courses and earn a certificate from the University of Richmond.
Get a professional recommendation from your personal mentor that details your skills and accomplishments.
Attend an immersive masterclass lecture for each internship project, delivered by leading academics and local experts.
Complete a project that solves a problem for a real organisation and add it to your resume.
Receive support from your dedicated internship supervisor during weekly one-on-ones, and career coaching sessions from an external expert.
Learn new skills, relevant to an impact-focused profession, and apply them to real scenarios.
Book and pay for your virtual internship program, and receive a GBP 545 grant towards an internship in any of our locations around the world.
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