Believe it or not, internships aren’t only about coffee runs and photocopying documents. Internships are incredibly valuable for networking, gaining experience, and ultimately helping you better understand the professional world. Last week I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to intern at AV Chicago®. The team made sure I got the chance to shadow and experience each position, allowing me to learn what it takes to run a successful company. While I was only in Chicago for a week, I gained much knowledge from this experience on both a professional and personal level.
Like many other interns, before I started, I was worried that I would appear unknowledgeable, but I quickly found that the team would rather have me ask too many questions to make sure I understood what it was doing and did it correctly. Internships are supposed to be a learning experience, and nobody expects you to know everything.
While the team at AV Chicago® were all busy, they took time to get to know me and took time to answer any questions that I had. From this experience, I was able to gain knowledge that I would not have been able to come across in any other setting. This experience opened the door to a better understanding of the work I was doing and the perspectives of people who come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences.
Internships are essential to developing critical skills that you can’t get in a classroom. While much can be learned in school, a hands-on approach in creative fields is invaluable. In my opinion, the best way to learn is by doing. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.
Nick trying bubble tea for the first time!