So, Why Do We Offer An Internship Programme?
We all have to start somewhere! OK, so that’s not the actual answer to the above question, but it is the truth – we do have to start somewhere, and an internship is a great opportunity to start “feeling” your way through relevant industries to get a sense of your own belonging in the real world.
As one half of the ownership team at Orchan, I come from a society where internships were not popular, were definitely not tolerated by university students (at least in my day), yet in the trades, we absolutely valued apprenticeships. What an oxymoron! Malaysia, Asia, on the other hand, sees internships as an almost compulsory “rite of passage” for every near-graduand to endure, I mean, experience, in order to progress into commencing one’s career.
So back to the title question, why do we offer an internship programme? Both Farrell and I recognize the immense value that an intern can bring. A focused intern wants to learn, comes with innovative (but not always ideal) ideas, and brings a balance to others in the team. As successful practitioners, it is also our responsibility, obligation if you must, to help the emerging generation of PR practitioners to get into the industry, and for us to share / teach the valuable lessons that we learnt.
An internship isn’t about making coffee or stapling (I don’t do coffee; but tea is always black, no sugar; and staples neatly horizontal 5mm inward from the top left corner, just in case you have to); it is about getting behind the scenes and developing an understanding from the ground up as to what we really do on a day-to-day basis. It’s a chance to discover the not-so-glamorous side of PR that is writing releases, phoning media, doing event RSVP’s; but also about creating uniquely powerful campaigns through teamwork at all levels, and building the foundations of communication messages through shared thought and activity. It is also a chance for you to see not only how you like an organization, but to develop a deeper understanding about your own philosophy of work (remember, working for a profit-seeking company is far different to studying at University) and seeing how you fit in to established patterns of organisations. As much as you learn about the industry during an internship, you should learn a lot more about yourself in the process too.
Our interns have come from local colleges, universities, and international universities. Some of our interns stayed on and became permanent Orchanites (Christina, Jeremmy, Kristy, Han Sen, Leon), others went on to craft out their own successful career paths (Jue Lienne, Reshma, Rina, Tracy, Jazz, Sam), and a few have lost touch with us, but we hope wherever they are, that they’re doing well.
As I said, we all have to start somewhere, and doing an internship in a place which allows you the chance to do more than make coffee and staple papers is important – a place that lets you develop and make your own mistakes (not too many though) so that you grow – is the key ingredient to a successful internship.
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