SMU students are so keen to take up internships that some are going on up to six during their four years of study – even though they are required to do only one. One in 10 go overseas to gain experience, while some students even extend their study periods to fit in more work stints, new figures from the University show. Although salaries are modest, SMU says that many take up extra internships to boost their curriculum vitae and chances of getting a job, with one in three landing a position at the company they spent time at. SMU Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre Director Sim Cher Young said that employers also gain from internships by using them as a recruitment tool. They are offering more structured internships and assigning supervisors and mentors to guide the interns. SMU students heading overseas are choosing emerging economies such as India, China, the Middle East and Mexico – partly influenced by their professors who lead study missions there.