While many Egyptian university students spend their summer holidays at the beach or travelling with friends, thousands are choosing a different path – internships.
From international organisations to television studios and private companies, these training opportunities are helping young people gain practical experience, build professional networks, and make informed career choices long before graduation.
For some, spending the hottest months of the year in an office rather than by the sea may not seem like an ideal vacation. Yet for many students, summer internships have become one of the most valuable investments in their future. Beyond developing technical skills, internships can foster confidence, improve communication and teamwork, and expose students to real workplace challenges that cannot be replicated inside a classroom.
Universities provide students with theoretical knowledge, but academic learning alone is no longer sufficient in today’s competitive job market. Many universities now require students to complete a number of practical training hours before graduation. These internships bridge the gap between theory and practice while allowing students to build professional networks and gain valuable industry experience.
They are widely recognised by universities, employers, and students alike as an essential stepping stone towards future employment. They also provide opportunities to build professional relationships that may later lead to mentorship, references, and full-time job offers.
For Habiba Al-Gebaly, a third-year student at the College of Languages and Communication, this summer was filled with learning opportunities. She completed two internships, including one with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Alexandria, where she worked with Sudanese refugees.
“It was my first real experience in an international workplace,” she said. “I interacted with refugee communities from different backgrounds and had the opportunity to use my media skills by teaching them how to pitch business ideas and communicate effectively to support their businesses.”
“I also learned about their culture and their immigration problems and started tailoring my lessons according to their needs and requirements,” she said.
Al-Gebaly believes her university education helped prepare her for the experience, but the internship provided lessons that could never be taught in a lecture hall alone.
“I gained practical experience, accepted new challenges, and learned how an international organisation operates. It gave me a real understanding of professional life,” she added.
For Fareeda Bassem, a second-year student, the highlight of her summer was training at the Egyptian Media Production City. The training centre at the city aims to develop the skills of undergraduate students and graduates through hands-on experience inside professional media facilities.
“It was my first step inside a real television studio where I could learn from directors, editors, and media professionals who work in the industry every day,” Bassem said. “That practical exposure was the most valuable part of the experience.’
Beyond technical training, Bassem said the internship helped her build lasting friendships. “I met students from different universities across Egypt whom I would never have met otherwise. That, to me, is one of the greatest values of an internship – it develops both your professional and interpersonal skills while expanding your network,” she said.
Ahmed Ali Al-Dabaa, founder and CEO of the Ajax Training and Consulting Company, believes internships are essential in helping young people discover their career paths.
“We regularly offer internships because choosing a career is one of the biggest challenges facing young people,” he said. “Students need opportunities to explore different fields, discover their strengths, and understand what suits them best.”
Al-Dabaa, who also co-founded the Alexandria-based Step Up Youth Initiative, said such initiatives can have a lasting impact on participants. The organisation focuses on community development, leadership, informal education, and peer-to-peer learning while encouraging creativity, self-awareness, and civic engagement.
“These initiatives are not simply extracurricular activities,” he said. “They are an essential part of learning, personal growth, and taking responsibility for one’s future. They allow young people to discover new perspectives, meet different people, and better understand who they are and what they want to become.”
For Rowan Alaa, a graduate of the Faculty of Commerce, a two-week internship in 2022 changed the course of her career. “I remember resisting the idea completely,” she recalled. “But my father kept telling me ‘it’s only two weeks, and you’ll still have the rest of the summer.’”
What initially seemed like an obligation soon became a turning point, however. “During the internship, I realised I genuinely enjoyed banking and accounting. I discovered that I was good at communicating with clients, explaining financial products, and working as part of a team,” Alaa said.
Alaa maintained contact with her colleagues after completing the internship and returned to the bank after graduation. “I wasn’t sure where to begin my career, so I went back to the bank where I had trained. Fortunately, there were vacancies, and I applied,” she said.
Today, she works as an accountant. “I can confidently say that the internship was the main reason I have a career that I genuinely enjoy,” she added.
Although many students see summer as a time to relax, those who invest a few weeks in practical training often gain far more than professional experience. They leave with stronger skills, greater confidence, broader networks, and a clearer understanding of their future careers.
For many young Egyptians, an internship is not sacrificing a summer; it is investing in a lifetime of opportunities.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 6 August, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.
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