There is only one week left of my first year at Southeast Tech! Summer is a great time to work as an intern at local companies to learn and gain hands-on experience in the industry.
A lot of internships are available during the summer so that students can learn and gain experience in the industry. Back in January, I applied for an internship at one of the most popular and sought after graphic design places in Sioux Falls. Being that I had only completed one semester of school and did not have a stocked portfolio, I did not get an interview. That experience helped me learn and grow though. I learned over 30 people had applied for the internship, and if I wanted to try for it next year, I am going to have to work super hard! I had to create a new project for the application based on a prompt, and that helped me learn more about the software I was using like Adobe Illustrator. It also helped me build my current portfolio I am working on! Even though I did not go very far in that application process, I am still glad that I did it so I can improve and try again!
In the last two weeks, I applied for another internship. Again, I did not get it, but I am still grateful for the experience. I did get an interview, but the company decided to go with another person because they graduate this year and could be potentially hired on after the internship, which I totally understand! They did say I was in their top 3 picks and that I should keep in touch for next year when I graduate! This experience helped me a lot because I learned what real-life companies are looking for in the industry and what stands out to them in your portfolio.
I think it is important to put yourself out there and try for those internships, even if you do not get them. It is good to know the process and how you can improve for the next one. I am going to keep trying for the next one!