Looking for something more in an internship? Look no further, as BDO Malaysia shares the exciting adventures awaiting you at the BDO MyASEAN Internship Programme! Intrigued? Read on to find out more!
BDO in Malaysia was given the privilege to expand their regional footprint in the ASEAN region in 2008. Since then, BDO in Malaysia has established ASEAN offices in Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei and Lao PDR. BDO in Malaysia also plays a key role in the management of these offices. Today, BDO in Malaysia and its regional operations have more than 1,000 partners and staff.
Launched by TalentCorp in 2015 by The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), the MyASEAN Internship gives Malaysian students in local and foreign universities the chance to intern with leading employers at various ASEAN locations. This programme also enables ASEAN students from Malaysian universities to intern in Malaysia.
BDO was the first accounting firm to pioneer the MyASEAN Internship Programme together with 11 other participating companies when it was first launched in January 2015. The programme augurs well with BDO because of its strong presence and operations in ASEAN. The MyASEAN Internship Programme provides a good platform to engage bright and aspiring young talents in ASEAN and build BDO’s talent pool for its growing operations throughout the ASEAN region.
To-date, a total of 22 students comprising nine Malaysians, five Vietnamese and eight Indonesians have interned here at BDO in Malaysia (for ASEAN students) and BDO in Cambodia (for Malaysian students).
Ling Qiao Rong, an intern under the 2018 BDO MyASEAN Internship Programme in Cambodia, narrates her travel experiences during the internship.
‘We were privileged to be able to join BDO in Cambodia’s firm trip to Koh Dach Island (Silk Island), which we travelled to by boat and spent three hours hiking on the island.’
‘We also managed to travel to a few Cambodian cities such as Sihanoukville as well as Siem Reap. I even got the opportunity to visit Angkor Wat, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. It was indeed an eye opening and memorable experience for me,’ beamed Qiao Rong.
When asked if the internship had changed her from a personal standpoint, she said, ‘It has definitely helped me to step out of my comfort zone. It was more than just an internship for me, it was a life changing experience. I have never imagined myself working outside of Malaysia, leaving the place that I call home. This internship experience has undoubtedly encouraged me to try new things.’
Another student who had the opportunity to undergo the MyASEAN Internship in 2017 was Phang Jing Lun. Now holding a position as an Audit Senior with BDO in Malaysia, he describes the work culture he experienced as an intern in BDO in Cambodia.
‘The staff and managers there were friendly, nice and helpful. Not only did I have the opportunity to audit Cambodian firms, I was also involved in a project with one of the biggest microfinance institutions in Phnom Penh. Micro loans are very popular in the city, and is important for small businesses wishing to expand. I also had the opportunity to audit a charity organisation, which involved the building of homes for the needy in Phnom Penh.
‘In addition, I joined BDO in Cambodia’s annual CSR event which is the Smile Cambodia Clinic, a voluntary programme where we assisted the Royal Phnom Penh Hospital. I was also privileged enough to be given the opportunity to attend the exclusive gala dinner of PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards, whose judging system is professionally supervised by BDO in Cambodia. Who would have thought that in just a mere eight weeks of internship, I had experienced so much!’ he added.
Jing Lun has a word of advice for students interested in the BDO MyASEAN Internship.
‘Know what you want, be persistent and you’ll definitely get there. I was very persistent when I applied for this internship. Also, I was extremely motivated and I took a lot of initiatives to get here and to achieve what I did in Cambodia.’
In 2019, apart from the internships in Cambodia, BDO in Malaysia aspires to send two Malaysian students to BDO in Myanmar, hence increasing opportunities for up to six Malaysian undergraduates to intern in our ASEAN offices annually, on a fully sponsored business trip (i.e. air ticket, work visa, insurance and accommodation) topped up with a monthly allowance. This is what we call a lifetime experience of ‘Work-Taste-Travel’, an opportunity not to be missed!
The period of internship for the BDO MyASEAN Internship Programme are as follows:
Malaysia – All year round (for students with ASEAN nationalities studying in Malaysia)
Cambodia – (a) December to February, (b) March to April, (c) June to July
Myanmar – October to November
To find out more about this opportunity to ‘Work-Taste-Travel’ on the BDO MyASEAN Internship Programme, please refer to www.bdo.my/careers for more information.