When everything is so uncertain, is there really any point in applying for an internship? Definitely, says AUT business and information systems student Kirria Person who was in her second week of a placement with Spacetime in March when Covid-19 shut the country down.

Kirria says Spacetime adapted quickly, setting up on-line meetings and creating slightly different roles and activities for her. There was no suggestion of the placement not continuing. As a result her time with Spacetime was a much richer experience.

“I realised how true it is that you have to be adaptable. The ability to cope with changes and respond to changed circumstances is really important in the workplace. I truly value the learning experience I had through Spacetime and the rapport I was able to build with the team, despite the nationwide lockdown.”

She certainly wasn't sitting on her hands over the time. Kirria worked on a broad range of things including using design thinking principles to build a chatbot that focused on the needs of the user.
"Through this I got a better understanding of how AI-enabled technologies can improve the interactions between computers and humans. I also really improved my skills in communication, adaptability and problem solving," says Kirria.

Not one but two internships

Another AUT student, Grace Davies, is definitely a fan of internships, having done two while studying. She says internships give you a chance to gain work experience, open up your career options and prepare for the workplace.

Grace, who is doing a double degree in design (communication design) and business (marketing), completed a design internship at NZ Transport Agency, followed by a marketing internship at Fisher and Paykel.

“Gaining insight into what a workplace is actually like was the most valuable thing I gained from my internships. It also helped me to understand what kind of career path I want to take after graduating. I am really interested in digital marketing partly because it involves both user experience and marketing. I also realised I want to be a part of a culture that is open to new ideas,” says Grace.

At NZ Transport Authority she says she really improved her design skills and learned new software programmes. She also got better at presenting and communicating the rationale behind her decisions.

"At Fisher & Paykel it was more about gaining more soft skills as I had to liaise with different departments such as legal and quality to ensure compliance of different pieces of marketing collateral.”

So what are internships?

Internships are temporary/ short term positions in an organisation. You can do an internship at any time during your study, however they are usually offered to second or third year students or new graduates, depending on the organisation’s needs.

Internships give you an opportunity to -

• develop your knowledge and skill base
• gain experience in the workplace
• work - often on a specific project - related to your future career goals.
• shine and let your employer see how you perform in the workplace (like an extended “interview” for a role after you graduate).
• get a feel for the workplace or type of work you want to be doing in the future.

Common types of internships

1/ Internships for students while studying. These are often offered over the summer but some companies also offer internships throughout the year. They can be paid, or unpaid, depending on the industry.

2/ A post-degree paid role that is usually for three to six months, dependent on your schedule and the work required for the role.

3/ WIL and Co-op sometimes lead into internships. Conversely, some internships will be accepted as WIL and Co-op placements, depending on your school’s requirements.

Why do an internship?

Internships give you an opportunity to gain new skills and make a good impression within an organisation you’d love to work for. They give employers an opportunity to get a project up and running, inject new thinking and ideas into their team and see you (a potential permanent employee) in action in the workplace. It’s a win-win situation.

Larger organisations tend to offer structured internships and take on more than one intern. Small to medium businesses are more likely to offer single internships for specific projects or take on an intern to help with daily work within their business.