As a fellow university student, I know that the thought of an internship can be pretty intimidating. But, imagine graduating with either no idea if you actually like working in your field of study and having no experience. In my opinion, this is way worse than a little extra work during the semester!
If you’ve ever entertained the idea of an internship, are curious if it makes sense for you, or didn’t even know this was an option – You’re in the right spot! I took one in my second to last year of my undergrad and let me tell you. It changed my life in a super positive way.
First off, I need to express how grateful I am for the opportunity I had to do my internship with Unión por los Niños. I got to work with an organization that gifted me work experience, profound insight into community education, and for an opportunity that inspired my thesis going forward. Seriously. This Non-profit over in Mexico is doing incredible things that are changing children’s lives for the better. I’m so lucky to have been a part of one of their projects.
Alright, let’s talk about why you should take an internship during your university experience!
First off…
What Is An Internship?
Essentially, it’s an opportunity to gain practical experience in a professional work environment. Many universities offer them! In my case, I took it during a semester abroad in Mexico where internships are listed as one of the course options. Be sure to talk to your advisor first if you’re going this route, though, as there were more than a few hoops to jump through for me to get credit for this course!
A Little About My Experience
My internship was a weekly responsibility where I went to event planning meetings at the Unión’s office space, assisted with planning, setup, and takedown of the event itself, and got to visit the Casas Hogares/the children we were working with during the campaign. Another aspect of this role was helping to coordinate our volunteers (though I admit this was tough as I wasn’t yet fluent in Spanish!). I also spent hours reading about children’s rights, researching how to empower children through teaching of these rights, and brainstormed activity ideas. Our whole event was based around teaching local children about their fundamental rights in celebration of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Through games, activities, and conversations with the kids, we taught them about these rights and asked them to elect a representative from each home.
Once each house had their PortaVoz (their spokesperson), these children were introduced to the space at Radio Kokone, a child-led radio station, where we would have our final event. On the 20th of November (the day that the convention on the rights of the child was originally signed in 1989) we invited local members of the school board, the government, etc, to speak with the children about their rights and how the community could better ensure the provision of these fundamental rights. The result was so deeply moving that I still struggle to find words to describe it!
*If you’re curious about the original campaign, check out this video (it’s in Spanish, btw!). Their most recent work is here, too!
Oh, one other thing! My internship was entirely in Spanish. This experience raised my confidence with my second language so much! If you’re learning another language and can complete an internship in it – Do it! You’ll learn so much.
Now, why would taking an internship benefit you? Let me tell you!
1. Work Experience In Your Field
So, maybe I’m biased because I’m an Arts graduate. We’ve all heard the jobless Arts graduate stereotype – But it’s just that! A stereotype!
I remember sifting through the job board at my school and no word of a lie – Management Positions at McDonalds were listed as “relevant to my field”. When I saw this my heart absolutely sank. Did I seriously just take 5 years of my life to chase a degree in education that would land me a job at McDonalds, which I could have done with no degree?!
Thankfully, work experience changes this drastically. My internship experience is often regarded as the highlight on my resume because it shows that I was able to participate in a professional environment in my field of study, that I could manage work-study life, and that I was eager to take on opportunities.
While internships are often unpaid, this was a super cool insight into the alternative sides of education. It reminded me that there are tons of career options out there for Arts graduates, even if you do something traditional like Elementary Teaching. You still gain tons of transferable skills!
2. Exposure to Your Field
Aside from gaining invaluable work experience, you’re also going to be immersing yourself (for potentially the first time) in the career you’ve been chasing through academia. Personally, I feel super lucky that I’ve always been drawn to teaching… But not everyone knows what they want to do! An internship gives you the chance to get your feet wet and decide if your chosen career path is right for you.
While I’ve changed what my education path will look like, I always seem to come back to education in some way. Maybe I’ll become a classroom teacher. Or, I’ll work for a non-profit in Canada or abroad. Perhaps I’ll eventually start up my own program! Who knows! I sure don’t – And I have my internship to thank for that.
Participating in the project “Yo Soy PortaVoz de Nuestros Derechos” (which translates to “I am the Spokesperson of Our Rights” taught me a million lessons. The biggest one, though, was that learning doesn’t have to happen in a classroom. In fact, meeting those who cannot access a classroom where they are at is a meaningful way to educate in a way that is relevant to the child. It also gives you the opportunity to inspire personal empowerment and growth for vulnerable children. I’m so happy that I got to explore what teaching could look like outside of my traditional conception of learning.
3. Networking
Networking can be so tough and intimidating while being a university student. Many of us are barely getting by with our course workloads, never-mind having to take time out of our work days or personal time to engage in professional networking. Internships make it a bit easier!
Since this will likely be a class within your timetable, you’re not having to carve too much into your schedule outside of class. During your internship you will also be meeting tons of people in your field! These are the people you should try to create professional working relationships with. I’m still in contact with the people I worked most closely with during my internship, and am so happy I am! I simply love catching up with the team and seeing their current projects. I also know that whenever I’m in Guadalajara next, I have a network of education-based professionals that I could contact. This is invaluable.
By networking now, you could even land an opportunity for work after you graduate!
4. Inspiration
When I signed up for my internship, I was just hoping for some practical experience in the field of education. I was also looking to give back to the community I had become so fond of over the prior semester. What I did not anticipate was how inspired I would feel after the internship.
Education is a very passion-driven field. Many other fields are, too, so I’m sure lots of you get what I mean when I say having a truly fulfilling experience is a massive reward. I felt great about the work I was spending my time on, and it inspired me to continue being an advocate for children’s rights around the world. Now, I’m looking into children’s rights in the classroom for my thesis.
Whether or not you’re planning on doing a thesis, I imagine you will have a similar experience to me. I got to meet a ton of amazing people doing the really tough groundwork in the field of children’s rights and education, and I was left in awe of all of the incredible opportunities out there. The inspiration I drew from this experience has guided me ever since – and the same could end up being true for you!
5. Professionalism
You are going to leave school and enter the workforce at some point. To be well-equipped for this, you have to understand and practice professionalism in your daily life. These are the soft skills you won’t learn in a textbook – How to communicate effectively, to problem-solve, to critically think, how to be a leader and a team player, and how to maintain a strong work ethic.
An internship teaches you these skills (especially if you’ve never had formal work experience)! Honestly, the ones I listed are just the tip of the iceberg. Working in a professional setting will equip you with the foundation needed for when you take your first step into your new field of work.
Well, that’s all folks! I hope that I’ve persuaded you to at least look into internship options at your university! If you need someone to chat with about this topic, or just want to share your experiences – Feel free to reach out! I love hearing about fellow student’s journeys and experiences.
Thank you for reading. ♡
