Taiwan’s In-House Creativity Production

Quick answer: Taiwan is a small island with few natural resources, but it is a world leader in electronics, semiconductors and car parts. It gets there by focusing on its strengths: quality control, trust between workers and companies, and an education system built around technology. That mix also makes it a good place to intern.

How does a small island lead in manufacturing?

In all of Taiwan’s 36,197 km², more than 23.6 million Taiwanese are sharing roughly a third or less of its land area between them. Within the parameters of their limited land area, Taiwanese churn out most of the modern day essentials: electronics; metals; plastics; telecommunication and rubber products, making its economy extremely, and I mean extremely, resilient to the ever-changing state of global affairs!

And this is how Taiwan came on top despite its scarcity in natural resources!

Why is Made in Taiwan® so well known?

Not all things Taiwanese are overshadowed by China, because guess who holds the number one spot in the semiconductor sector?

That’s right, Taiwan!!

Led by its leading production house, TSMC, the country accounts for roughly half or more of the manufacturing of advanced chips and supplies big tech brands such as Apple and Qualcomm. But that is not all that Taiwan has to offer. Its reach goes beyond chips to vehicle production.

(Source: "Memory Card Evolutions" by Supratik Deshmukh on Unsplash)

For long, Taiwan has proven itself to be one of the most popular manufacturing sites for car parts in the world, assured by its golden stamps of fine craftsmanship and superior quality control. You guessed it: this is the prime example of how Taiwan managed to reach the level of success that it is at today. It does not go around fixing all of its flaws, instead, it optimizes its strengths to compensate for what it lacks in. Without relying heavily on producing and exporting local products, Taiwan maximizes its greatest resources: the Taiwanese people, and Total Quality Management.

What is Total Quality Management and why does trust matter?

What compounds Total Quality Management, or TQM, are all too familiar to the Taiwanese: communication, teamwork, leadership, training, trust and more. The one single element that makes TQM work on Taiwan, and not its neighboring countries, is none other than trust. The trust that the Taiwanese so relentlessly established upon years of hard-work and dedication has paid off in ways that bring home operational efficiency, reputation, as well as its globally recognized economic buoyancy.

Coupled with the Taiwanese technology-led education system, it comes as no surprise that its people are so incredibly innovative and well-versed in the technological advancements of today. In fact, Taiwan has been integrating technological tools for its students of all educational levels from its education policies down to class activities. This covers middle schoolers’ Artificial Intelligence inclusive curriculum with strong focus on practical in-class problem solving exercises.

Where does Taiwan’s creative culture come from?

Problem-solving is not foreign to Taiwanese, everyone knows that. They have been working around issues throughout their history like its national identity. Taiwan’s internal identity crisis has always been present in the Taiwanese society stemming from its rich and direct influences from the United States, Holland, Portugal, Japan, and China. The by-product of all of these close contacts with outsiders is not merely the transmission of their customs and traditions but the slow brewing creativity that has always and will continue to pull Taiwan through all of its adversities.

Though its ties with external countries remain visible in its way of life, architecture, and food, the building blocks of what constitutes Taiwan remain unchanged. The Taiwanese culture at its core is multi-folded, creative, and accepting. Taiwan’s innovative minds are essential to the growth of its nation. Hence why Taiwan is pouring all of its resources into the development of its people in the digital era from middle-schoolers to interns. And we ought to tip our hats to Taiwan for being a prime example of how to thrive in the increasingly competitive world today!

Can you intern in Taiwan?

We have witnessed Taiwan catapulting itself to the top in spite of its setbacks. The results are in plain sight. Taiwan is developing at a rapid pace. The country is praised time after time for its various exemplary inventions. We know for a fact that the same ordinary approach does not and can not get us to where we imagine ourselves to be. It is a good reminder to find new inspiration and go after your own goals.

What better way to immerse yourself in the creative and diverse culture of Taiwan than to do an internship in Taiwan! When the (internship) opportunity presents itself, take advantage of it! Explore your options; take time during your internship to search for your true potential. This is your chance to surround yourself with skilled, experienced, and talented interns from different parts of the world. After all, creativity breeds more creativity!

FAQs

What does Taiwan produce?

Taiwan produces electronics, metals, plastics, telecommunication equipment and rubber products. It is best known for advanced semiconductors, led by TSMC, and for car parts.

Why is Taiwan so strong in manufacturing despite having few natural resources?

Taiwan focuses on its people and on Total Quality Management, which depends on communication, teamwork, leadership, training and trust. A technology-led education system also helps.

What is Total Quality Management (TQM)?

TQM is a way of running a company so that everyone, from leaders to staff, works to improve quality. In Taiwan it relies heavily on trust, teamwork and training.

Can I do an internship in Taiwan?

Yes. Taiwan has internships in areas such as business development, software engineering, engineering and supply chain, and host companies work in English. The right visa route depends on your passport.

Do I need to speak Mandarin to intern in Taipei?

No. Mandarin is useful for daily life, but you can do your internship in English.

Want to see what an internship in Taiwan could look like for you? Read more about internships in Taiwan.