Internship in Madrid, Spain

Last semester I had the opportunity of a lifetime when I traveled to Spain to do an internship.

I learned about opportunities to do an international internships when i took an international business/cross cultural communications class at UVSC when I came across the U.S. Commercial Services home page, while I was searching for information about how to do business in Spain for my final project. I thought it might be cool to find an excuse to return to the country where i served my mission, but what I found was a lot more than that.

I became extrememly interested in pursuing an internship at the U.S. Embassy, so I decided to give it a shot. One thing after another, a few emails later and after passing the security clearance process that took a few months, I was accepted.

It was a fun experience working for the U.S. government. I got to go through all of the security briefings that all embassy employees had to go through, and goto do some of the activities that the commercial service office set up, including a couple of cocktail receptions at the Ambassador's residence. One reception was dedicated to a project that the office did on the Puerto Rico Trade Mission. (Pictured are other interns and myself)

Being a public relations major, I really wanted to focus on getting good contacts that I could use for future references, and do my best to leave a lasting impression on everyone that I worked with. I knew that I would be working with a lot of U.S. and Spanish companies. Working with these companies would help me to have "An in" with international companies, so that I could refer back to these companies for employement after I graduate.

Commercial Service Spain helps all American companies interested in doing business with Spanish companies to find key contacts which will help them to jump start their international business desires in finding international partners, sales agents, or distributors in Spain.

Some of the work I did consisted of assisting market specialists with doing International Partner Searches (IPS) for an American company. One particular company that I helped was called Lee Springs. I contacted various spring manufacturers in Spain to find interested companies in becoming the leading distributor in Spain for the interested American company. For Lee Springs alone, I found 5 potential sales agents and distributors, and one of them was willing to give an entire manufaturing plant for the manufacuring or distribution of Lee Springs products.

When I had free time, I was always asking specialists where I could lend a hand. Most of what I did consited of preparing contact lists of potential distributors and importers in Spain for U.S. firms interested in the Foods, Furniture, Lawn and Garden, Automotive, Dental and Medical sectors.

One of the coolesting things I did was help market Utah tourism in Spain by featuring Utah as a destination of the month for U.S. Commercial Services homepage. What I did was compiled tourism information on the top tourist destinations in Utah. This page promotes Utah tourism to Spanish travel firms. The information was used to spotlight Utah as the destination of the month and just recently got put up onto the website last month. To see the page click on the following link. http://www.buyusa.gov/spain/es/utah.html

I'm glad that I got the opportunity to do this internship. I learned a lot, and met a lot of really great people. I really hope that this internship will help me stand out in my resumee as I try to find future employment.