I have just finished my first ever virtual engineering internship with Intern Leaders and I think it was one of the best decisions I've made, especially given the current COVID-19 situation.
My original plan had been to do an internship this summer, but when lockdown started, my friends and I were worried that we wouldn't be able to do anything useful or worthwhile. We all started researching online and we saw different courses and volunteering opportunities and internships. I chose this programme because I wanted to have the choice to do workshops and additional professional development, not just an internship.
In the end, the workshops were really helpful- I am very happy with my CV and my online profile in general. I think I've made some good friends through the programme (still only online for now) and Intern Leaders have made it clear that I can and should stay in touch with them as an alumni and that they will always be around to help.
Doing an online internship has been such a good way for time to fly by as we were stuck at home, but it's also been such a good confidence boost and CV boost.
I would love to do an international internship soon, perhaps next year, but if that's not possible then I would definitely consider doing another online internship in a different company.
What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
My first week was the most nerve-racking as I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from the company that Intern Leaders placed me with. I had been told what I would be working on and they had sent me tasks that I would be expected to do, but it's hard to imagine an online internship if you haven't done it before.
I found it hard to sleep the night before my first day, but actually it was probably less nerve-racking than doing an internship at an office. I was at home, I was working on my own laptop and when I logged onto my first call everyone was actually really friendly.
I overcame my nerves, by letting the team know that it was my first online internship and basically just making it clear that I wanted to learn, be useful and do as much as possible. It really helped.
