Wellington student headhunted for Singapore entrepreneur internship

Wellingtonian Michael Moore Jones, Year 12 student at Scots College, will be packing his bags in July for Singapore where he will attend an internet entrepreneur internship.

Michael has been selected as one of 30 young entrepreneurs aged 16 to 25 years from around the world to participate in the MyCube Digital Life Academy – a six-week internship programme that runs from July 4th to August 14th, 2011.

The 16-year-old was headhunted for the programme based on a blog he wrote in January about the future of social networks.

Michael says, “This is an awesome opportunity – My Cube is a company with principles I really believe in. I will be missing school to attend, but it’s an opportunity I can’t pass up.

I’m looking forward to finding out who the other 29 interns will be.”

In December last year, Michael started up a popular blog entitled ‘They Don’t Teach You This In School’, aimed at connecting young people via the internet with inspiring professionals.

Headmaster of Scots College Graeme Yule is delighted about Michael’s achievement.

“He’s one of our high achieving International Baccalaureate Diploma students, and a very talented young man,” Yule says.

“I’d tend to agree with Michael – we can’t teach you everything in school, but we can certainly give you a great start.”

Michael says, “The internet is the future, and we need to ensure the key issues of privacy and user control are properly developed. Facebook is going in the wrong direction.”

MyCube, however, is the world’s first Social Exchange™, which allows you to store and share your information, updates and content on your own terms. The company is a startup based in Singapore and will be launching their service in June.

The organisers say Michael’s article demonstrated exactly what they are looking for in the Academy interns.

Students with “a strong understanding of the internet and social media, a conviction of the need for us to have control over our digital lives, and the ability to express these views in a clear and engaging manner.”

Participants in the programme will become an integral part of the MyCube team and learn first-hand what it takes to succeed as an internet entrepreneur. The internship includes free airfare, housing, and $3,000 Singapore dollars to spend as they wish.

Michael’s article on the future of social networks can be viewed at www.mmoorejones.com.