Page 12 Stories on Pages 12 and 13 written by Keishana Trotman I started my internship at CARICAD on July 10th, 2023, and it was quite an experience. Despite the few members of staff, their presence, accomplishments, and expectations were enough to make me very reluctant to vocalise my own opinion and ideas because I always thought to myself, “there is nothing I could say that these brilliant minds didn’t already consider” and that was the biggest mistake I made because it really hindered my personal development. The best way to make the most out of the internship was for me to assert myself in situations that I deemed uncomfortable such as: • Being patient with myself •I found that being patient with myself was the first step into making the most of my internship. Once I told myself that this was a learning experience for me outside of school and that I don’t know everything, it allowed me to fully absorb all the knowledge that was being passed down to me from all levels in the organisation. Once you are kind, patient and respectful to yourself and those around you, it will broaden your knowledge and thinking while opening your mind to new possibilities and new perspectives. • Asking for help and asking questions •Asking questions pairs with being patient. Do not be afraid to ask questions because we are here to learn and to develop or further develop new skills and asking questions is the only way to do so. Asking questions allowed me to be steered in the best direction and gave clarity on anything that wasn’t clear whether it was a task or just a general discussion. • Being very observant •Being observant allowed me to learn things that may not seem relevant now but could be very useful in the future, so it’s best to pay attention to everything regardless, it can add to our existing knowledge. We can even find easier ways of accomplishing tasks or learn something new in the process. • Showing Initiative •Showing initiative demonstrated my work ethic and my dedication to learning and once my colleagues saw that I was ambitious, they were glad to teach me something new, or an easier way of doing something after noticing how motivated I was to learn. • Listening Being an active listener allowed me to be better educated, because once you listen, you hear and understand things a lot clearer. Listening allowed me to hear the guidance that was given to me from my colleagues. I also learned to appreciate when I might’ve been inaccurate in my interpretations, so I could rectify the error and continue on the road to being the best professional I could be. Internships are very important to the development of interns, and it allows them to get real-world experience, however, they must be mindful of the fact that what they were taught in school may differ from how the organisation chooses to operate and that’s why it’s very crucial to be opened-minded. Also, internships should be managed properly so that the interns could get the maximum outcome from the internship. The reason I’ve developed this much under such a short period of time was due to me working with the most transformative, talented and inventive people I know and because I asked questions and engaged with them it, while ensuring that I was actively listening, which allowed them to steer me in a positive direction. So, I’d just like to thank the amazing team at CARICAD for making me comfortable and for being so welcoming and teaching me so many valuable lessons which allowed me to be the person I am today.
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