Many young Kazakhstanis dream of getting work experience abroad without large time and money investments. Today there are many international programs and internships that provide such opportunities. And one of the largest international youth organizations is AIESEC. We decided to talk to the president of the Astana branch of AIESEC - Shahnazar Shayakhmet to learn more about this organization.
Good afternoon, Shahnazar! Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed. Could you please tell us what AIESEC does?
Good afternoon, thank you for this opportunity!
To begin with, the name AIESEC stands for Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales, which translates to «International Association of Economic and Commercial Science Students».
AIESEC is an international youth non-profit organization that provides a platform for young people to develop leadership skills through international internships and educational projects. Our mission is to develop the potential of young people through practical experience and cultural exchange so that they can make a positive contribution to society.
What are the criteria for selecting participants? How often is the selection conducted?
We have three main directions for development. Young people can choose in which direction to develop on their own. The criteria for each direction are different.
The first direction is international internships. Young people between the ages of 18 and 30 can go to the desired country on one of our international programs. The programs are divided into volunteer, teaching and professional programs. For example, he/she can go to Sri Lanka to save turtles, to Turkey to teach English to children, or to Canada to intern in an IT company.
All programs require English language skills. Some require a completed bachelor's degree. For more information about internships, visit our website at aiesec.org.
The second direction is projects. We regularly organize hackathons, creativeathons, case championships, forums and much more. As a rule, there are no strict criteria for participation in projects, so anyone between 18 and 30 years old can take part.
The third direction is membership in the organization. To ensure that all activities are carried out effectively, a clear structure is needed in which everyone has a responsible role, whether it is the financial stability of the organization, the support of trainees abroad, or the organization of internal conferences. In order to gain such experience, we launch recruitment into the organization twice a year - in early February and early September. The age range from 18 to 30 years remains the same criterion. Also, when recruiting, we look for initiative, proactivity and teamwork skills.
What projects are currently being selected for?
We are planning to carry out two projects in April. One of them is a hackathon for girls called SheCodes. I think that people who follow our activities on social networks know about this project, because we will be conducting it for the third time. We are also planning to hold a forum for young people, where children will be able to gain knowledge from invited speakers from different fields. We do not conduct selection for these and, in principle, any of our projects. Anyone can simply register and participate. This is the main mission of our projects – to allow young people to try themselves in different fields and learn new things from leaders in the fields.
More information about the projects can be found on the Instagram account @aieseckz
What benefits does participation in your projects give to young people? What are the benefits of AIESEC membership?
Participation in projects from AIESEC allows young people to develop different skills, be it hard or soft skills. Young people participating in our projects:
And much more. All this together allows young people to develop diversified and gain skills that will help them become real leaders.
How has participation in the organization affected you personally?
Being in the organization, I was able to develop the most necessary quality for young people – leadership.
By conducting social and educational events, I learned initiative, discipline, time management, stress resistance and quick decision-making.
By meeting people who are members of AIESEC in other cities and countries, I expanded my horizons, learned about different cultures, made friends all over the globe and learned how to work collaboratively.
Thanks to being surrounded by motivated and conscious guys, I have greatly improved my communication skills and am constantly recharged by them with energy for personal development.
Knowing that our work not only provided us with the opportunity to develop life-saving skills but also had the potential to make a global positive impact, I took pleasure in knowing that my contributions would leave their mark on a better world.
Tell us about the graduates of your program.
Every year, a stream of graduates leave the organization who have gained significant experience, values and thinking, which we try to convey. Over the 11 years of the organization’s existence in Astana, we have a number of graduates who adhere to values even in their work. For example, Miras Kazaliev, AIESEC Alumni 2017, holds the position of Sustainability Assurance Senior Assistant at PwC. In other words, Miras monitors compliance with practices consistent with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in audited companies.
Or another outstanding AIESEC Alumni – Thomas Akynov, who is a Research and Development Specialist at the largest non-governmental organization in Central Asia, EFCA. In addition to them, we have many graduates who have succeeded in a variety of fields – project management, HR, marketing, sales, etc. Their main distinguishing feature and advantage is not even the professional experience they gained in the organization, but rather the values they left with towards the world and the people around them.
Could you please give some advice to future interns/volunteers who will be applying for AIESEC for the first time?
In order to join the AIESEC youth organization you need a great desire to develop and grow. You must be over 18 years old and you must go through several stages of selection to become a full member of the organization. The main thing is to be active, open and show your leadership qualities
One of the main goals of AIESEC is cross-cultural exchange, which is carried out precisely through our internships. Anyone between the ages of 18 and 30 can apply for our volunteer, teaching and professional internships. The required minimum level of English is pre-intermediate. Typically, internships provide free accommodation, meals, and sometimes transfers. Popular countries for our interns are Turkey, Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, etc. You can register at aiesec.org at any time and our managers will definitely advise you.
Thank you very much for the interview! And finally, what would you like to say and wish to young Kazakhstanis?
Time is fleeting, so take advantage of all the unique opportunities that come your way. One of these opportunities could be membership in AIESEC, participation in a project or international internship, where you will not only gain valuable work and leadership experience, but also broaden your horizons and be able to develop professionally. Also, create long-term connections with like-minded people, as this can be a key factor in future success and personal growth.
Interviewed by Mariya Muratova, consultant of the SRC “Youth”
Photo materials from the personal archive of Shahnazar Shayakhmet
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this material are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the official position of the “Youth” Scientific Research Center. In addition, the Center is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information contained in this material.