International Cultural Exchange Co., Ltd. (iCXC) was established in 2010. iCXC provides an Au Pair Program, CultureShare Program, and Overseas Internship Program, offering students the chance to embrace different cultures. 

How and when did the company get started – what was the motivation to begin the company?

iCXC was founded by Kelly Wei, who first became involved in the German Au Pair Program in 2003. At the time, opportunities for young Chinese people to experience Western cultures outside traditional study abroad programmes were limited. Recognising the value of cultural exchange, Kelly and her partner began promoting the German Au Pair Program in China.

In 2006, they expanded into the US Au Pair Program through partnerships with US Department of State – designated J-1 visa sponsors. In 2011, Kelly officially established iCXC in Shenzhen, focusing on bringing European and North American au pairs to China and creating meaningful international exchange opportunities for young people.

What do you consider unique about your company compared to others offering similar programmes and services?

One of iCXC’s strengths is our long-term partnerships with three universities in Shenzhen, where we have served as an official internship base for over ten years. We regularly organise cross-cultural exchange activities and events together.

Based in Shenzhen, with its strong international connections to Hong Kong, our team and most of the participants also have excellent English communication skills, allowing us to provide efficient support for international exchange programmes.

What is a trend in the marketplace that you are currently enthusiastic about?

We are excited by the growing interest among Chinese students in gaining international work experience and practical skills. As employment competition increases, more young people are looking for opportunities to improve their global outlook and career prospects. We believe this is an ideal time to relaunch US internship programmes and help students gain valuable overseas experience.

What is a challenge in your business that you are actively working to address?

One of the main challenges we face is attracting more programme participants, in addition to increasing price competition in the market. To address this, we work closely with three universities in Shenzhen and conduct on-campus presentations and promotional activities to raise awareness of our programmes. These efforts are currently underway.

What do you look forward to as a member of WYSE Travel Confederation?

As a WYSE member, we look forward to building meaningful partnerships with organisations worldwide, especially internship providers. We are excited to learn from industry peers, exchange experiences, and create more international opportunities for Chinese students and young professionals.

Will we meet your company at WYSTC Bilbao? What types of companies and industry contacts are you interested to meet there? What would you like to learn from the international youth travel community? What do you think you can help others in the community to learn?

Yes, we have already registered for WYSTC Bilbao and look forward to attending.

We are especially interested in connecting with organisations offering internship, Work & Travel, and cultural exchange programmes for young people. We hope to learn more about industry trends, best practices, and successful programme models from the international youth travel community.

At the same time, we are happy to share insights into the Chinese market, Chinese students, and our experience in cultural exchange and international programme development.

Are there any news or special updates you’d like to share?

We are currently expanding our university partnerships in China and relaunching international internship opportunities for students. We look forward to building new collaborations and supporting more young people in gaining global experience.