BY JAMES PEETERS
Landing an internship is important for some Sheridan students. It could mean job experience, making connections that can lead to employment or it can be a requirement for graduation. They can also be a welcome change in routine for students who have been working hard in the classroom for up to four years.
The faculty at Sheridan is more than helpful when it comes to writing recommendations and helping students find a placement that works for them. They want to see students succeed and put their practical skills to use in the workplace.
It can be a little intimidating being a student one day then being treated as an employee in an internship. But this adjustment can be rewarding and help you find a job that you like and will support you.
Brock University graduate Tyler Webb, 25, says landing his internship set him up for success.
“Let’s call it a blessing. I never thought I’d find myself here and loving the job,” Webb says. “I feel the internship was a bridge between two worlds.”
Before Webb graduated from Business Administration at Brock in 2014, he was unsure about what sort of job he would find.
“The thing is that all these jobs you see online when you are job hunting all want experience. Well, I didn’t have experience. How could I? I’d been a full-time student for four years and I needed an income after I graduated. It didn’t sit right with me.”
Webb was lucky enough to land an internship at Otis Elevator Company the summer after he graduated.
“I just needed a foot in the door somewhere, something to put on my resume in the business field,” Webb says. “Sales, marketing or communications. Anything would have done. When I read that email, I really felt like an adult.”
Webb says that his work for Otis takes him all over the GTA. He appreciates the fact he can still live close to his childhood home just outside of Stoney Creek, and that he avoided the stress of having a degree but no job to show for it.
“I know it’s common to not find a job after you graduate. It’s got to be one of the worst feelings, especially with a business degree from a university. If you aren’t at the very top of your class, it can be tough. I have a friend who works full time at Home Depot. He has the exact same education as me. Maybe he was even a better student.”
At Sheridan, photography students are getting ready to apply for their summer internships.
Jaqueline Sicard is a full-time student in the photography program as well as working free-lance She hopes to find herself in a placement that will take her away from her current home in Oakvile.
“Buzzfeed offices in New York City— that’s the ultimate for me. Not only would I be applying my skills to content I personally enjoy, but living in a new place and meeting new people is part of it for me too.”
Sicard knows that finding work as a photographer will comes from recommendations and to show her ability through her portfolio.
“It’s not all about having good connections. I’ve had to show people material I’ve already done too. It’s like displaying your work and hoping they think it’s good enough that [employers] want to pay you.”
While she has a decent-sized portfolio of her previous work, Sicard also wants to add workplace experience to her resume.
“The more, the better for me. It’s already hard enough to support yourself as a photographer full time. To me, it’s another opportunity that will help me make more money in the future if I land it. I hope it works out. I just want to explore something new. I want to go out there and do something.”
Sicard hopes her internship in New York will take place this summer, leaving her with a final year of school after in the fall.
“I know if I get it, I’ll get so much confidence,” Sicard says. “I think that’s important when it comes to putting your work on show and having others tell you it’s good enough to pay you for it. And even if it doesn’t lead to income, having something to put on my resume will be amazing. Just being able to put my name out there and getting my foot in the door is everything to a freelance photographer.”
