Booth Internships Help Shape Careers

Internships are important in trying to get ahead with an MBA degree. With an internship through the Booth School of Business, Full-Time MBAs get a chance to apply their classroom knowledge to real business challenges, while companies benefit from new, analytical, creative thinkers who bring new, scholarly approaches to an industry. Oftentimes, MBA interns are also candidates for full-time positions after graduation.

At Booth, student internships happen between an MBA’s first and second years and are available in a range of industries, for companies of varying sizes and in exciting locations around the globe, in fact last summer nearly 17 percent of the class of 2015 worked outside the United States.

“Booth’s strengths are really around critical thinking,” said Julie Morton, associate dean for Career Services and Corporate Relations, “and that is a valued skill across all functions and industries. The internship lets students see how good an actual fit they are in that firm and it lets the firm basically have a 10- to 12-week interview. An internship can confirm a career choice or cause a student to pivot in a new direction.”

Alex Brand worked for East Africa’s first Subway franchisee in Nairobi, Kenya, helping to open restaurants, train staff, and oversee logistics during his summer 2014 internship. After college, he worked as a chef before taking a year long bike trip across Europe and Asia to gather recipes and explore culinary traditions. Before enrolling at Booth, he owned a globally inspired food truck in Minneapolis.

“I wanted to combine my interests in emerging markets and in quick-service restaurants,” Brand said. “I was interested in learning the operating systems and controls that enable chains to handle large volumes with a high level of consistency.”

While interning abroad, Brand discovered and found solutions to various issues and challenges.

“There are periodic power outages; the traffic in Nairobi is terrible; and the pollution is bad. Petty crime is a constant problem, and the 2013 attack at the Westgate mall serves as a reminder of the underlying threat of terrorism,” he explained.

While challenging, Brand learned some important lessons and had admits the the intership helped steer his career path in the right direction.

“Nairobi is a hub for entrepreneurs who recognize this opportunity in East Africa with the development of a consumer culture and lack of market organization. If you are ambitious, hardworking, and creative, there is boundless opportunity,” Brand said. “[My internship] confirmed that I want to pursue a career in the restaurant industry. After graduation, I plan to stay in Chicago and launch my own quick-serve restaurant concept that serves healthy food yet draws on the convenience and controls of the fast-food model.”

This post used information from press releases and internship information on the Chicago Booth website.

regions: Chicago

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