Farewell to our Summer Intern

Farewell to our Summer Intern

Rosa is our Social Media and Marketing Summer Intern at Nova’s Wellington office. As summer sadly ends, so does Rosa’s time with us. We’ve asked her to reflect on her past few months interning at Nova.

What were your goals going into this experience?

Fresh out of university, it felt surreal that I’d already finished and was now getting whisked off into the big wide world. I knew there was a lot I was still clueless about, and the thought of landing my first job was intimidating.

So, I was hungry to keep learning, but in a new space that challenged me in different ways than tertiary education. I also wanted to improve my confidence in my abilities and feel prepared to navigate the corporate world as a young professional.

Can you share some highlights from your time at Nova Energy?

The first highlight is all the staff I’ve met during my internship. Nova has guided me through my first experience working in a corporate office environment in a truly welcoming way.

I’ve also had the chance to get my hands dirty in many projects this summer – figuratively and literally!

I spent a day out volunteering with my colleagues at Zealandia. We got to work pulling out some particularly persistent weeds invading the sanctuary. This was also my first time at Zealandia and probably one of the few times I’ve ever weeded. So, this day will remain positively memorable for me.

One of my larger projects was organising the Auckland and Wellington Round the Bays fun run teams for Nova. This was awesome. I also had the opportunity to participate in the Wellington event. It was special to have that time outside the office with some co-workers and try my hand at event organising.

My other proud moments include working on multiple exciting tasks with the People & Culture and Marketing teams. They gave me the opportunity to work on graphic and web design, social media, and content writing for the Nova brand. I was involved in such a mix of assignments that have improved my repertoire and will be seen by hundreds of people. I’m so privileged and grateful to be a part of this work straight after university.

My summer internship with Nova Energy gave me the first step I needed after my degree to launch my career. I will take all these wonderful memories and practical skills with me on my new adventures.

What are three lessons you’ve learnt from interning with Nova?

First, there is always more to learn. The education I’ve soaked up on the job at Nova is unparalleled to anything I could experience at uni. Yet, I also know that both environments work hand in hand to shape me into the young professional I am becoming. I’ve been studying for the past three years, and I love that there’s still much more to learn.

As a new graduate, I think it’s important to realise that your contribution matters, and my workmates at Nova always reminded me of this. I’ve come to understand that a beautiful blend of diverse strengths, perspectives, and skills makes a great team, and I realise that I can be a part of that.

Finally, Nova has taught me to keep saying ‘yes’ and that leaving university doesn’t have to be scary. I’ve met great people and widened my horizons and skills by saying ‘yes’ to this internship and all the opportunities that Nova’s offered me.

Thanks for interning with us this summer, Rosa! Anything else you want to add?

In the blink of an eye, my summer-long stint here is wrapping up. I'm handing back my Nova jacket, but of course, the warmth, the growth, and all the fun I've experienced during my time here will stay with me. I’ve also tucked a few more gems of wisdom under my belt from my summer at Nova, so I feel confident and prepared for whatever awaits me in this new chapter.

Thank you for this priceless experience. Thank you for believing in me, nurturing my ideas, listening to me, and taking the time to teach me new skills. More importantly, thanks for making it fun.

Rosa completed her internship as part of our Intern programme. Visit our careers page to find out how you can get involved.