May 22, 2018
My First Internship
This is my first internship. I haven’t had the privilege to experience the life of a company before. This job continually shapes me. My first internship.
My first internship taught me…
- never forget your values
- always ask to do more
- don’t settle for second best
- don’t expect too much from others but expect the world from yourself
- go above and beyond with no expectations of what could come your way
- accept autonomy but ask for help when needed
- it’s better to check than screw up
- empathy is understanding others but not saying a word
- be yourself; if you’re valuable they will adapt to you
- mentally note every lesson and never forget them
- never forget those who you work with and what they did for you
- love what you do or quit
I wrote about my first job.
I wrote about what that taught me about humanity. Both its shortcomings and its positives, where those were often short-lived.
Now, I’m just over a month from completing my first internship.
Unlike many internships you would see, I studied alongside commitments to arrive at work for a 9–5 shift.
I did 16 hours per week (two days of work) from 6th February — 9th May 2018.
Then, I was promoted to work 32 hours (four days a week) from 14th May — 28th June.
I spoke yesterday about my relationship with my Boss pictured left in the photograph above. I’ll save the reasons why, in more detail anyway, for close to the end of my time at the company.
My role at the company is Content and Communications.
Within the first day of my internship, I picked the suffix of ‘manager’ to end my title.
‘Intern’ wouldn’t cut it over email, and I wanted to be a crucial part of the system while I was formally involved.
Decided — Content and Communications Manager for five months.
I remember walking away from the interview dismayed at my lack of human rights and sustainability knowledge.
I thought I had failed. I didn’t think I would be in this position now. But here we are.
My purpose in the company was clearly defined, but my industry knowledge lacked substance.
It’s safe to say that I struggled.
I saw two staff members come and go. I remained, and I wondered if it was the job that made them leave.
It’s safe to say that the environment was unorthodox for the first two months.
As time went on, the condition improved and I grew closer to my Boss.
A story for another time.
Anyway.
My first conference was in March. It was on the topic of energy.
I had a slight cognition on the subject from conducting countless interviews and writing up pieces of content.
But I was genuinely bemused by the jargon used by these professionals. Representatives from the largest utility suppliers as well as new stakeholders confused me.
I had to write a 5000-word report on that information I had supposedly learned. I thought I did a good political job of it.
By political job, I mean that I beat around the bush and didn’t give any straight remarks for fear of misinterpretation.
Surprisingly, it was well received.
Energy leaders, as well as distinguished guests, praised the validity, conciseness and presentation of the report which boasted many figures and constituted to many pages.
My interest with this company came to matters of the second conference and what I found out would be my last conference.
The conference was on issues of modern slavery and human rights.
As mentioned before, my former headteacher Rob Carpenter said I had a keen eye for fairness and wanted answers to questions about wrongdoings. This inner sense of helping others and being the best human I could be somewhat reignited itself during this internship — in a professional sense more than the personal one I’ve seen in the past.
I learned from corporates, lawyers and law enforcement. I appreciate the scale of the issue.
It’s not one man against the world — instead, we are all one in the same.
Collaborative efforts and corroboration are the ways forward.
I spent time with ethics at BBC, and some other large institutions and their hearts are dedicated to deal with the corporate side of the debate.
Some companies have no idea what to do. Nor do they have the financial backing to take action.
That’s not their fault.
I’ve learned that pointing finger only gets you on the front-page of the paper but doesn’t solve the issue.
I have an idea on how to make press balanced and be the initiator of a movement to unite civil society, corporates, governments together as one.
It will take some work, but it has validity, and I will try my best to realise it.
The work of others inspire me and want to lend my hand as a fresh pair of eyes and design a new approach to tackle the issue.
I have met and connected with distinguished members of the anti-slavery community, and I will attend the conference I’m organising for September.
There are arrangements in place to have further involvement in the conference, but those will only materialise in September.
I’m struggling to articulate what this internship has presented me.
It made me realise that the corporate world wants to listen.
They are humans too (in some capacity).
The rhetoric is military, but the intent is genuine.
Opportunities to partner, forge relationships and move forward better than when I left are in motion.
While my first job gave me the ability to read and understand the actions of even the most unstable of people, my first internship solidified that hard work is the epitome of success.
A belief that I can win and feel fulfilled.
I feel I gained such confidence.
From time to time, I get questioned about my writing other times it’s commended.
I love my job.
It’s not a job; I get to watch my Boss take over the industry and be his number two.
I’ve enjoyed the privilege so far.
One month to leave my mark.
My first internship.
