Ever wondered how, or even if, an internship can open doors for you professionally? Read on! Internships are designed to provide hands-on experience, allowing you to apply your skills and/or education in the real-world environment of a workplace. They can help you develop specific skills relevant to your field, such as project management, and technical or communication skills. And, ideally, they will give you access to guidance and advice from experienced mentors, which can be invaluable for career development.
Recently, they Sydney School of Entrepreneurship (SSE) welcomed university student Mridula Tirumala to the team for a 3-month internship within its Marketing Communications department. And though she is keen to explore a variety of potential roles and opportunities once she graduates – she is part-way through a double degree in Commerce and Information Systems at UNSW – Mridula says she was keen to intern with SSE so that she could start applying knowledge and skills she's already learned to create a tangible impact.
Internships empower you with real-world experience
“It's very rewarding to see your skills and work garner results,” she says. “I’ve already seen that internships have allowed my peers to develop both personally and professionally by challenging them with new situations, and I wanted to achieve the same growth.”
Mridula first discovered SSE while still in high school, when she took part in one of our popular programs for young people. The experience made an impact. Mridula explains: “I was inspired by SSE’s passion for helping young people build the skills required for entrepreneurship; I knew that when it was time to pursue and internship, I wanted it to be with an organisation that creates social impact, so SSE seemed like a great option.”
We asked her to share some of the most valuable skills or knowledge gained during her time with SSE and she was quick to answer.
“Some of the most valuable skills and knowledge I gained during my internship was through interacting with the amazing people at SSE!”
“Each individual had a wealth of unique knowledge and experience that I was able to soak up. Most importantly, I learnt the importance of being passionate about your work and trying to improve a little bit, every day. I learnt how to manage some tough situations, where not everything is in your control, and how to manage these to achieve the best outcome.”
Drive and ambition – born or bred?
The award-winning young intern is obviously ambitious. Where does her drive come from, we asked? And does she believe that ambition is ‘born’ or ‘bred’?
“I believe there is ambition within every individual, even if it may look different for everyone.”
“For me, my ambition has always been to be the best possible version of myself, not necessarily towards a particular goal. I believe that goals and direction in life can change over time, however, constantly aiming to be the best possible version of ‘me’ will always garner results.”
The role of social enterprises in today’s business world
There’s no question that social enterprises like SSE play a crucial role in today's business world by underpinning commercial goals and targets with vital social and environmental missions.
Mridula reinforced this belief with her own, explaining that “social impact organisations are the backbone of the world; they benefit not only individuals, but also create a stronger, better space for everyone in society to thrive.”
“I recently worked on another [external] project where I was tasked with creating a social return on investment model for a non-profit organisation. Through this, I was better able to understand the way in which social enterprises return value to individuals, the environment, and the economy.”
“Social enterprises empower underserved individuals and groups in society to create impact, perhaps through starting their own business or by gaining the skills for independence. This in turn makes the business world a more inclusive space, where everyone can contribute their unique ideas to create a diverse and interesting environment.”
Young people, never stop learning
As someone driven to put her best foot forward, we also wanted Mridula’s take on continuous learning. We all hear a lot about continuous learning these days; what it means, why it’s important – even for young people – and how to make sure we stay on top of it once we hit the workplace.
“Continuous learning to me means constantly finding ways to do something better than you are already doing it,” Mridula reflects. “It’s about deviating from the norm and learning different methods and skills so that you can be prepared for changes and new challenges at any time.
“This is especially important in the world currently, where we’re experiencing new apps, tools, and technology every day. It’s important to be adaptable and stay in touch with the ‘learning’ part of your brain so that you can handle anything.”
Finally, top tips for young people considering an internship?
"Venture beyond your predetermined goals and try new things,” Mridula says. “You never know what you will end up being passionate about!”
“Also, don’t be scared to deviate from the traditional path of applying for internships online. Reaching out to smaller organisations personally and expressing your interest in interning there – which is exactly the approach I took with SSE – is also a good method.”
We’re glad she did!
Connect with Mridula on LinkedIn.
