Not only is an internship a great approach to gain work experience, but it is also an effective way to gain hands-on experiences and build a good network.
Elke
Communication and project management intern, Groundbreaker
What is your name, nationality, what do you study and in what year of your studies are you at the moment?
My name is Elke de Roos, and I am a 22-year-old Dutch student pursuing a double degree in IBCOM and MISOC. I am currently in the final year of both my studies. After my internship, I completed all IBCOM courses and at the end of the academic year I will have finished MISOC too.
Where did you do your internship and what was your position?
I am doing my internship at a nonprofit organization called Groundbreaker. It serves as the link between companies/private donors and local initiatives in the Global South. My position is twofold, meaning that I am partially contributing to the Project Management side and additionally to the Communication side of the organization.
Why did you choose this company to do your internship at?
The reason I initially chose this organization is because I really wanted to do work that was meaningful, and I immediately got excited by Groundbreaker’s vision of making a difference in the world and ensuring that both people and the planet thrive. Furthermore, I admired and valued Groundbreaker’s support for smaller, local initiatives who have difficulty securing funding but who are doing amazing work. Moreover, the organization, attracted my attention because of the multinational work atmosphere and the opportunity to contribute my own ideas from the start. The fact that I would be working in a small team added to my excitement about the possibility to maximize my own skills development and the assertive attitude that would come with it. Finally, I assumed that the internship at Groundbreaker would be an excellent addition to my academic experience.
What were your main tasks during the internship?
My primary responsibilities are again, split into the two aspects of my internship. For the project management part, I need to update donors with how the projects are going, doing outreach, meeting with new potential organizations, and creating project proposals. For the communication side, I am mostly helping with media posts on our LinkedIn, Instagram, and website. This necessitates research on contemporary issues, content creation, and of course, a lot of writing. In addition to these general tasks, I have been involved in two other campaigns/projects, which are the Year-End Campaign and the new IT training center that we are building in Uganda. The IT center specifically is a project that I have been mostly busy with, since I have come into contact with several similar organizations and conducted extensive research on the Ugandan IT job market to understand the needs and demands there.
Do you believe an internship is a valuable addition to the academic curriculum?
An internship is unquestionably a significant addition to the academic curriculum. Not only is it a great approach to gain work experience, but it is also an effective way to gain hands-on experiences and build a good network. An internship offers an excellent manner of identifying a particular area in the chosen field that you are interested in, and further help you gain more knowledge and skills regarding this area. It may also assist you in recognizing your lack of interest in that particular field and gaining abilities that will be valuable in a field you do enjoy.
Do you think the skills learned during your studies come in handy when being an intern?
Internships, in my opinion, allow you to test the theories and concepts you’ve been introduced to throughout your academic experience. Besides that, time management, research and analysis abilities, and critical thinking skills are useful when working as an intern. The tendency to think critically to understand an issue from all possible angles, and to pose creative solutions to challenges in my experience is strongly valued by my organization. Other soft skills such as effective communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, are required in most fields to create and sustain relationships with others. This combination of knowledge and skills gained during my studies are all applicable to the internship experience.
Did you stay in touch with your internship company after you finalized the internship?
I have not yet finalized the internship, but I am certain that I will stay in contact with them on both a personal and professional level.