Internships to tap your potential

IN university, as our studies draw to a close, we are told that we are to undergo industrial training.

We are told that we are not ready for the real world and need to undergo practical training to be real people, significant in the whole scheme of things, employable.

I think it an odd term, “industrial training”. In just two words, the human element is stripped away and we are thrown into a robotic world where we are stamped, barcoded and labelled either fit or unfit for employment.

However, an internship is not industrial training. It is not something that involves being pilot-tested to be deemed worldworthy or earning badges and brownie points.

An internship is the first step on your stairway to success. It is an opportunity to see what you are made of and test your limits. Imagine discovering what makes you tick.

There is no such thing as a perfect internship or a programme that will fit you like a glove.

When you look for an internship, focus not on what you can do, but on what you cannot. Focus on what you lack and need to gain.

What makes humans amazing is our ability to adapt. An internship that tests your abilities is exactly what you need to challenge your mind and climb higher. Don’t be afraid of a few knocks and bruises.

Of course, this does not mean that you should enrol in an engineering internship if you are a broadcasting student or apply to an agricultural practical if you study business.

However, you need to look at your skill set from a new perspective.

Where can you go with what you have, and what can you do there?

Broaden your horizons

Do not hesitate to grab an opportunity to experience something new that is out of your comfort zone just because you’re scared.

It is foolish to turn down a chance to glean more experience, because there is a whole world of possibilities waiting for you.

If it were tangible or visible to the naked eye, you would dive headfirst into that realm. That is the trick life plays on you, though. It is up to you to discover your own worth and potential through hardship and strife to take advantage of the possibilities you have.

Success probably isn’t worth much when it is handed to you on a silver platter, because what is there to appreciate without the effort that went into achieving it?

You have a whole bank of potential and your internship is the perfect way to tap into it. Whatever your luck is in getting an internship placement, remember that it is a trial step into the working world.

Wherever you go as an intern, you will be underestimated and expected to be inexperienced or clumsy with your work. This is a good thing because you can then learn the ropes from everyone at your workplace.

With your university mediating the whole process and your supervisor providing guidance, you will have some leeway to make mistakes and learn from them. Make use of this advantage, push yourself further and seize this opportunity of a lifetime.

– By Hajar Mekki