3 Career Skills You Learn From Traveling

Want to explore another part of the country, or even the world? General Assembly can help you can solve that restless travel itch and get some valuable career skills along the way.

Pack your bags and head off to a new city: it’s good for your career.

Whether you’ve decided to study abroad or have taken on an internship away from campus this summer, immersing yourself in a different culture can help you to quickly adapt to new surroundings and develop skills that will support your professional future. That’s why global education company, General Assembly, is holding both a Tech Intensive and an Internship Connector. These are programs designed for students like you to take a deep dive into the tech and startup world in London, San Francisco, New York, and Sydney: you’ll gain vital career skills from respected figures in the industry that you can apply in a real-world setting.

Here’s what you can learn by taking on another part of the country — or even the world — this summer.

1. Cultural Competency

Cultural competency is increasingly important in the working world, whether you work for a business with global clients or you are trying to understand user behavior of customers from all over the world. Your awareness and sensitivity to other cultures is heightened when you travel, and is a great skill to have when you come back home: it will help you to be seen as more mature and experienced at work, and it will hone your communication skills as you encounter and communicate with new people.

Both GA’s Tech Intensive and Internship Connector pair you with industry experts from all over the world, allowing you to listen in on panel discussions, take field trips to leading companies and startups, or receive guidance and mentorship opportunities. You’ll also be able to meet and interact with students from all over the world to brainstorm on your next big idea.

2. Willingness to try new things

When you travel, you’re introduced to new things – you know that well before you get on a plane you might be giving up your favorite Five Guys joint for some fish and chips in London. Your willingness to try new things speaks to your openness to adapt to change, which is key for any job.

Through GA’s Tech Intensive and Internship Connector, you’ll learn everything from user experience design, product management, and business fundamentals to data analytics and digital marketing. It’s the perfect opportunity to try new things and accept new challenges so that you can expand your skill set and be a more competitive candidate when you start looking for full-time roles.

3. Self-sufficiency

Leaving your friends and family behind for a few weeks or months can be beneficial for you later on down the line. You can find out who you are, apart from your support system, and figure out how to accomplish things on your own — from projects to sightseeing to finding a way to make new friends in a new city.

The Tech Intensive gives students the essential skills and tools they need to design wireframes and prototypes for a product idea, which they will then pitch to industry experts at the end of the course. It’s a great opportunity to take ownership of your projects from start to finish.

So if you don’t have plans for the summer or want to explore a little before your internship starts, think about traveling to shake things up — it’s a fun way to push yourself out of your comfort zone and take your career skills to the next level.