Why choose GIP China?

Beijing, the capital of China, is the cultural, educational and political centre of China. Going there for immersion for 1 semester will have not only allows you to understand more about the country but also how far it has progressed since economic reforms 3 decades ago.

Shanghai is one of the most modernised cities in China. It has world-class city infrastructure, with extensive and convenient transportation facilities. With the World Expo 2010, Shanghai has accelerated its pace in modernising itself to become a great and modern city.

Many multinational companies are setting up their China bases here in　Shanghai. It has many foreign expatriates working in Shanghai too. Hence, Shanghai is becoming a cosmopolitan city with people of all cultures and nationalities.

Furthermore, there are quite a significant number of Singaporeans working here in Shanghai; hence you will feel very much homely as well. Therefore, doing your attachment in Shanghai will provide you an excellent opportunity to network with many important people.

Fudan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University are among the top universities in China. Being able to study in one of these prestigious universities is definitely a plus-point in your academic development.

Shanghai is located at the river delta of the Yangtze River (长江), and cities like Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Ningbo are just within a two-hour train ride radius. Shanghai is also very much connected to the rest of China by air, so it is definitely an excellent place as a base for you to embark on your travelling trips across China.

About China

Beijing

Beijing, as the name suggests, is located in northern China. Being the second largest city in China, it is home to more than 17 million people. Despite the recent financial crisis, real estate and automobile sectors are still booming in China. And if Shanghai is the economic centre of China, then Beijing is really a Chinese entrepreneurship centre.

Beijing plays an integral role in the heritage of China’s 5000-year long history; almost every major building in this city has national historical significance. Take the chance to visit famous tourist spots like The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City, numerous pagodas and even the mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

Shanghai

Shanghai (上海) is the largest and most populous city in China and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people. The city is a tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund (外滩) and Chenghuang Miao （城隍庙）, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower （东方明珠）, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan centre of culture and design.
Today, Shanghai's goal is to develop into a world-class financial and economic centre of China, and even Asia. In achieving this goal, Shanghai faces competition from Hong Kong, which has the advantage of a stronger legal system and greater banking and service expertise. Shanghai has stronger links to the Chinese interior and to the central government in addition to a stronger manufacturing and technology base. Since the handover of Hong Kong to the PRC, Shanghai has increased its role in finance, banking, and as a major destination for corporate headquarters, fuelling demand for a highly educated and cosmopolitan workforce.

Fudan University and Shanghai Jiaotong University

Fudan University (复旦大学), located in Shanghai, China, is one of the oldest, most prestigious and most selective universities in the People's Republic of China. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty. Fudan University is composed of four campuses, including Handan (邯鄲), Fenglin (楓林), Zhangjiang (張江), and Jiangwan (江灣). It is a comprehensive university highly ranked in physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, and medicine.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University (上海交通大学), located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most influential universities in China. The university is under the jurisdiction of both the Ministry of Education and Shanghai Government.

Working places and Work Culture

Sulzer Chemtech

Comments from a previous intern:
"Work culture at Sulzer Chemtech was not too difficult for me to adapt, partly because it is a Swiss MNC and my General Manager is a Singaporean PR. Furthermore, my direct supervisor is also a Singaporean Indian and it more or less made me felt a bit like home. Apart from having another manager who is Italian, all other colleagues are Chinese who come from all parts of China. Hearing them talk about their hometown only makes one realize how big and diverse China is. Every city and county has their own tongue and tradition and it is interesting to hear them share.

Mandarin is the main communicating medium and is definitely better if you are able to speak fluent Mandarin. Written documents are both in English and Chinese as Sulzer Chemtech is a Swiss MNC. Most of my Chinese colleagues understand English but may not be as fluent when speaking or writing it. I truly understood the importance and advantage of being bilingual and did a substantial amount of translation while in Shanghai. There were a number of company activities like outings and sports events for staffs to bond together and colleagues are all very helpful and friendly. With sincerity and a positive working attitude, good ties can be forged and till now, I am still in contact with some of my Chinese colleagues."
- Ong Yan Wen, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

Venture Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd

Venture Electronics is a Singapore based company with presence all over the world.  China is a strategic key manufacturing hub for Venture’s export distributions.  They are in the line of precision engineering, and their major clients include Hewlett Packard and Takata.  They undertake the liaison between sub assemblers for their clients, hence making them the final assemblers.

Working culture in Venture Electronics (Shanghai) is exceptionally unique as the management level consists of mainly Singaporeans, with a couple of them from Hong Kong and other parts of China.  The remaining operating workforce constitutes the locals.  This creates a challenge for the intern of Venture to be able to adapt to two types of working cultures when facing the management and the ground level colleagues.  The intern must be able to switch his mindsets and work accordingly and appropriately in order to gain favor from both sides. 

Comments from previous interns:
"Working culture in Venture Electronics (Shanghai) is exceptionally unique as the management level consists of mainly Singaporeans, with a couple of them from Hong Kong and other parts of China.  The remaining operating workforce constitutes the locals.  This creates a challenge for the intern of Venture to be able to adapt to two types of working cultures when facing the management and the ground level colleagues.  The intern must be able to switch his mindsets and work accordingly and appropriately in order to gain favor from both sides.  During the course of internship, I was also able to visit other departments and also have a tour of the factory area itself.  This allows a lot of freedom to pursue more knowledge on the various functions of the company as compared to being confined solely to the assigned department.  Another plus point that I felt was that the manager did not really expect me to handle daily business routines.  Instead, projects were given which truly tested my level of knowledge and ability to perform.  This had truly enhanced my working experience, preparing me for the real work life out there in future."
-    Goh Hui Chian, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Year 4

“During the course of internship, I was also able to visit other departments and also have a tour of the factory area itself.  This allows a lot of freedom to pursue more knowledge on the various functions of the company as compared to being confined solely to the assigned department.  Another plus point that I felt was that the manager did not really expect me to handle daily business routines.  Instead, projects were given which truly tested my level of knowledge and ability to perform.  This had truly enhanced my working experience, preparing me for the real work life out there in future."
-    Lee Swee Meng, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

WSP

"Unlike the MNCs, WSP is a local consultancy firm with less than 50 employees in both Beijing and Shanghai branches. Being a small company, I was given more opportunities to handle value-added tasks, such as my appointment as a project manager and involved in various Chamber of Commerce networking events. This has trained me to assume a greater responsibility in this overseas internship which will prepare me for my future career. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience to work in such a conducive environment where the colleagues are so kind and amicable."
-    Alvin Sim, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

PMG Shanghai

If you like interacting with people, thinking out of the box and working in a casual and friendly environment, working in PMG (Shanghai) will be an ideal place for you. By working with a small group of helpful colleagues, you will have the chance to discuss and brainstorm new ideas for clients and give suggestions or feedback on ways for improvement. At times, you will also have the chance to work hand-in-hand with colleagues from offices in different parts of the world. In addition, you can have ample opportunities to mingle and have fun with your colleagues by engaging in various after-work activities with them. The working experience in PMG (Shanghai) is certainly an experience filled with accomplishment, fun and lasting memories.

Sykes(Shanghai) Co. Ltd

Entering the China market at the industry’s very early development stage, SYKES was and is the first and only foreign-owned customer contact center in mainland China and has been setting new horizons for customer contact management in China ever since. Whilst most of the outsourcers and in-house customer contact centres are struggling with quality services and profitability in China, SYKES China is enjoying steady growth and business expansion, managing about 1000 seats in Shanghai and Guangzhou together till now.

Venture Corporation Ltd

Venture Corporation Limited, a leading global electronics services provider, offers an excellent combination of outstanding management, world-class technical capabilities, innovative manufacturing technology, reliable testing capabilities and state-of-the-art facilities. Founded in 1984, the Venture group comprises about 40 companies with global clusters of excellence in South-East Asia, North Asia, America and Europe, and employs more than 14,000 people worldwide.
In 2008, Venture achieved sales of S$3.8 billion with annual earnings exceeding S$160 million.

What others have to say?

"China, the rising land of opportunities, the land of the sleeping dragon has awakened in recent years.  We see and feel the advancement and competition in China with our own eyes and senses like never before.  Uncover the myths and establish the facts of the truth about China on all aspects – Economy, religion, culture, lifestyle and many more and you will be appalled at how similar and different you have thought them out to be before the on site experience.  Recognize the similarities and capitalize on them.  Identify the differences and mitigate them as much as possible.  A combination of these two will give you the edge in achieving success in China.  “Similarities” and “Differences”, simple yet delusional.  This is my take for the learning experience in the “classroom” of China."
-    Lee Swee Meng, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

"The overseas internship in Beijing was a fulfilling experience which broadens my horizon. Working with the mainland Chinese has provided me with useful insights on the corporate culture in China. Stepping out of my comfort zone to search for a more exciting life has trained me to be more independent. This has made me to be a well-endowed person which will definitely be beneficial to my future career."
-    Alvin Sim, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

"I discovered more about myself and changed my personal outlook in life. Not only am I more independent, I am also more adaptable than I thought I am. I am also extremely lucky to have a group of wonderful housemates and friends, whom I got to know during the trip, with me and they made my exchange experiences a lot more enjoyable. We had lots of fun and unforgettable experiences while traveling and living together.
I finally get to know what it is like to be in a foreign land all by myself and I will never forget my Shanghai-days. The spicy hotpot roadside stall that we frequent, the ever-congested train and bus rides, taking an hour’s bus ride to work and two hours’ bus ride to Fudan, singing karaoke for six hours on weekends and only paying SGD 2 per person, the bargains we made while doing our shopping spree, the trips we went, the weekly grocery shopping at Carrefour, the DIY potluck sessions we have during Mooncake festival, the Sunday sports activities and the list just goes on and on."
-    Ong Yan Wen, Nanyang Business School, Year 3

“Shanghai comes across as a beautiful city with magnificent night sceneries everywhere especially at the bund. Living in Shanghai is a different experience from living in Singapore. You will experience extreme weather changes, unorganized traffic, unmannered behaviours and pick-pocketing. However, living like a local allows one to accept and adapt quickly. On a positive note, there are plenty of delicious and cheap food and snacks around! Retail therapy in Shanghai cannot be missed. You get to buy really cheap clothing, shoes and bags but branded stuff in Shanghai is a no-no because it is much more expensive than in Singapore. Standing at the 88th storey of Jinmao Tower and looking afar, you can get a fantastic panoramic view of the dynamic metropolis, the sky submerging in the sea at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the landscape lighting at night and a topside view of the hotel atrium below. ”
-    Png Sze Wei, GIP China Shanghai 2009

“Working in Shanghai will be something I will never forget. But the best thing about being in a foreign country as big as China was that we never ran out of things to see. Every weekend, right after we end the last day of work in the week, we grab our backpacks, hop onto trains, buses and planes, and go on a journey of discovery. It started first with the neighbouring cities, and then it got further and before we knew it, we were sleeping on buses and planes, and go on a journey of discovery. It started first with the neighbouring cities, and then it got further and further and before we knew it, we were sleeping on buses and trains for 13-hour long rides. It might sound crazy but until you get down to do it, it might be the most amazing thing ever.”
-    Felicia Ng, GIP China Shanghai 2009

"At first glance, Shanghai is no different from Singapore. Vibrant, urban and perhaps the only difference is there are a whole lot more Westerners around. Only when you start to live in the place then you begin to see the different layers of society that co-exist in this city. Vagrants and beggars mashed with white-collared workers and fashionistas, old-fashioned alleys that stand their ground next to towering skyscrapers, and a sense of chaos throughout the whole city in orderly fashion. Living in Shanghai is an adventure. It is a test of our tolerance towards peeing men on the street, a re-examination of our sense of justice towards pickpockets, and most importantly, a time where we cast our hearts into iron when we turn away from the beggers on the streets. These are poignant moments where the difference between living in Shanghai and Singapore show. In my opinion, this is the beauty of Shanghai that Singapore can never offer."
-    Deanna Tan, GIP China Shanghai 2009

"It was a wonderful experience going to another country to live and study. Shanghai, being a tier one city in China, gave me an idea of the tremendous progress the country has been through. This GIP trip has broadened my horizons and gave me a lot of useful insights. It has also helped my sharpened my use of the Chinese language which I believe will prove important in the future. I would strongly recommend this trip to prospective GIP students because it will be an enriching experience especially for those who wish to work overseas in the future. Furthermore, this trip bonds close friendships together and most importantly, we had our fair share of fun!”

-    Terry Lee, GIP China Shanghai 2009

Information Package

For students who are currently preparing for your trip, you can download an information package here. This package is like a travel kit, offering advice on what to bring, things to take note of and the various places of interest.

Download Information Packages here