What kind of spark happens when internships mix with "unibersity-enterprise teamwork," "two mentors," and "leading industries"? GTIIT students' Co-op experience has the answer.

Unlike regular internships, this Co-op model builds a coordinated university-enterprise talent cultivation model: each student receives dual mentorship from both a university mentor and a company mentor to ensure quality. By working on real projects, students gain cutting-edge industry experience and understand what companies really need.

In October 2024, Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) signed the Co-op Cooperation Agreement with National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE) . The two parties agreed to try out the paid internship model (Co-op) to enrich internship and practice in undergraduate education and cultivate high-level talents oriented toward industrial development.

The first program offered three positions at NICE and its related companies. Following a comprehensive review of academic credentials, students were selected through resume screening and online interviews. Now, after 2-3 months of internship, the pioneering cohort has already completed the program with aluable hands-on experience.

Materials Academy, JITRI  

Mechanical Properties Testing Engineer

Chen Xinyue

I'm a MSE student, and I did a three-month internship during my sophomore summer.

I wanted to use what I learned in class and understand the real testing process in the industry.

To prepare for the interview, I reviewed technical questions, organized my lab reports and checked the company’s website to learn more about their research and equipment. I also studied industry standards and testing rules. The interviewer asked about my professional knowledge, lab experience and understanding of the job. I got an offer the next day.

During the internship, I worked with my mentor on testing the mechanical properties of advanced materials. I took part in every step and tested over 30 samples. I learned how to operate and calibrate equipment, collect and analyze data and gradually know the whole process. My biggest gain was hands-on experience. In real testing, sample defects, temperature and humidity all affect results. You have to be very careful. Unlike university experiments with ready-made samples, this internship brought real projects and showed me how important testing is for making materials.

My company mentor is a working engineer. At the beginning, he taught me step by step, explained everything clearly, and corrected my mistakes right away. He also shared with me many practical tips for this industry.

For juniors who want to apply for the project, I suggest: reviewing the core topics in mechanics of materials and testing, getting good at Excel and understanding how basic testing equipment works. Also, keep a positive attitude, work hard, and ask lots of questions. That’s the best way to learn.

NICE 

Overseas Cooperation Department

Huang Jiao

I hoped to use my holiday for a meaningful internship—to gain hands-on experience, work on international projects, and broaden my horizon. The Overseas Cooperation Department was a perfect choice.

During the internship, I learned many practical job skills. When facing multiple tasks, I learned to plan my time, set priorities and use the right tools to work efficiently. In cross-cultural communication and document handing, I realize how important it is to be professional and detail-oriented because one small mistake can affect the whole project. These experiences helped me understand workplace expectations and gave me more confidence in international cooperation.

Three months passed quickly. With guidance from both university and company mentors, I got used to the work pace and learned how things are done. My company mentor also organized team activities that helped me quickly become part of the team, so even far from home, I felt welcomed and supported.

Zhou Yang

The three-month internship was better than I expected. What I remember most was being temporarily loaned to the materials Department. I went with a Dutch materials science expert to visit companies. He wanted to test his thin-film technology project in China. Since I’m an MSE student, I helped with translation and coordination the whole time. Translating technical terms was hard, but I got it done. I also had good talks with the expert and we still stay in touch.

The rest of the time, I helped with tasks like organizing international meetings, hosting foreign experts and sorting documents. The work wasn’t very technical, but I met many “big names”in the industry. That’s very useful.

NICE is a great place for undergraduates to get experience and build their resumes. To juniors who want to apply for it, I would say just go for it if you are interested. The experience in a big city on a big platform is something you’ll never forget.

NICE

Investment Management and Services 

Chen Zhengjie

I had two choices back then: do a three-month internship or stay in GTIIT to do research. But I thought this internship, even though it didn’t quite match my major, would better enrich my work experience.

During the two-and-a half-month internship, I joined many company roadshows. I listened how leaders from tech companies talked about their projects and judged business value from an investor’s point of view. This helped me understand how companies work and turned what I learned in class into real-world knowledge. Unlike a regular job, this felt more like getting paid to learn.

At the end, my company mentor gave me a challenge: use my own company as an example, analyze its market value from an investment angle and present a report. This hands-on task was new and challenging and it really tested my overall abilities.

Zhang Yimeng

Life is about trying new things and exploring new possibilities. That’s why I applied for this internship.

I prepared well for this internship. I learned about the job and project first, then organized my own experience and strengths. This made the interview easy.

The best part of this internship was having two mentors—one from GTIIT and one from the company. They taught me professional skills and took me to roadshows and events. I met many talented people in the industry, which opened my eyes and helped me see my future more clearly.

For juniors who want to apply for this: first, understand the project direction and requirements, don’t prepare blindly; second, work on your communication skills; finally, don’t fear challenges, stay passionate, you’ll do better than you think.

Text/Photos: GTIIT News & Public Affairs, provided by interviewees