More than just an internship – Building professional connections

In this article, DoC intern Ellyssa Powell shares insights about the internship experience within the CIG Summer Internship Programme. She interviewed Sami-Lynne Bulgin and Johanna Dixon.

During my studies at Berkeley College in New York, where I recently earned my undergraduate degree in Marketing Communications, it was reiterated that internships would be an important part of my education and my professional development. The power of networking and building relationships in my chosen field was heavily emphasised to me. I took this advice seriously and was happy to do my first internship with the Department of Communications (formerly GIS) in the Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) in 2022.?During my first internship, I was exposed to many cross-government communications efforts and was able to see how much work goes into providing effective government-led communications for our country.

This year I was excited to return to the DoC in two units that were new to me: the Public Relations Unit and the Internal Communications and Engagement Unit.?Through my time in both units, I have been able to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of being an impactful communicator both to external stakeholders as well as internally to the civil service.

This year, the DoC again welcomed several interns over different periods, and I was joined by Sami Bulgin and Johanna Dixon. Sami – who is in her second year of a Bachelor’s degree program in Creative Industries at the Toronto Metropolitan University—worked in the SCU; and Johanna Dixon—who is currently pursuing her Associate’s degree in Business Administration at the University College of the Cayman Islands – spent her time in the Video Unit.

As the only intern who had previous experience within the DoC, it was exciting to see the first-timers go through the experience of internship as I had done last year. The following Q & A with some of my fellow interns reflect on their time.

Ellyssa Powell (EP): What was your first day like?

Sami Bulgin (SB): My first day was great. I instantly clicked with the other interns in my unit and immediately knew we would be friends. Meeting the DoC team was also great, everyone made me feel so welcome and reassured me that they were there to help if I had any questions. I immediately felt like part of the team and excited that I would be able to learn from each of them.

Johanna Dixon (JD): The first day was unexpectedly fast-paced and I learned a lot about the government and the multiple ministries and departments within the Government.

EP: How did your internship match your expectations?

SB & JD: My internship exceeded my expectations, I really enjoyed working in the DoC. I was able to gain so much experience in multiple fields in a short period of time. It was extremely informative and a great learning environment while also being extremely welcoming and just an enjoyable place to work. The opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience was so exciting and unlike any opportunity I have had before.

EP: Did anything surprise you about this internship?

SB: The people and the environment. The people were extremely friendly and helpful and the environment was very focused but also fun to be in.

JD: The people were great! I loved getting to bond with the other interns and coworkers, I learned so much from so many different people.

EP: What three things did you learn during your internship?

SB: I’ve learned about a lot of new and impressive platforms that I have never heard of before. Communication is key to getting work done effectively and efficiently. There are no stupid questions.

JD: There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes when it comes to graphic design and video production. Every person has their own role that is equally important in the DoC. You can always ask for help, two heads are better than one.

EP: What was the highlight of your internship?

SB & JD: Meeting new people, the people 100% make the experience. If not for the kindness and helpfulness of everyone around me, my experience could have been very different. My internship allowed me to meet people and get to know them personally as well as professionally.

EP: What was the best advice you received from your internship leaders?

SB: That there are no stupid questions and to fully immerse myself in everything the internship had to offer because you never know what you could learn that might be useful in the future.

JD: Live each day to the fullest.

EP: What is your favourite part of the DoC company culture?

SB & JD: The atmosphere, and the way everyone interacts with one another. There is a lot of friendship between coworkers as well as reliability. Each person is trusted to get their part done and then at the end everyone’s work comes together and is celebrated.

EP: In your opinion, how important are internships?

SB & JD: Internships are extremely important. The best way to gain experience is to see what a real working environment is like and learn how to navigate it. An internship allows you to gain insight into the career you are interested in and even if it’s not the specific career you want it will at least allow you to have an idea of what a day-to-day could be like in that field. Internships are also a great way to make friends and network. This allows for opportunities in the future that you might not have had otherwise.

As an intern myself, I have benefited so much from this experience, working in PR and Internal Communications.??Both of these experiences have taught me how to be a better communicator. I’ve built relationships that will in no doubt aide me in the future.?I believe that there’s no better teacher than experience and getting to work on such meaningful projects here at Government not only gives you a sense of purpose but also makes you feel like you are helping to make a great impact on your community

Now that we are concluding our time as interns, I wanted to share with other professionals the importance of giving us students the opportunity for professional development. The connections we have created at CIG can greatly impact us on our career journey.