Landing a job after graduation. It’s what all university students think about. When the question started to play on my mind as an upper-year student at Trent University Durham GTA, I went looking for advice from staff and faculty on campus. After reaching out to an academic advisor, I found what I was looking for – an opportunity to gain hands-on career experience through the internship program.

Unlike many institutions that offer program-specific internship placements, Trent Durham takes a different approach – an internship program open to students in any and all majors. My path to not one, but two, internship opportunities began after I met with the internship coordinator on campus. They reached out to different companies in the community to find a placement that was the right fit for me. And they found it – a placement that would help me identify my own career path.

I landed my first internship at the Abilities Centre in Whitby as a junior communications coordinator. I worked closely with the director of communications and marketing, and was entrusted to create content for social media, press releases, and weekly communications.

As a student specializing in Marketing, this experience was invaluable. I learned so much from the experience. It went so well, that I decided to do another internship the following semester. I’m currently a project leader with the LivingRoom Community Art Studio where I’m learning and growing along with this dynamic grassroots organization.

With the many experiences inside and outside of the classroom that Trent University Durham GTA has provided me, I am confident in my ability to land a position in my field of interest after graduation.  I encourage every student at Trent – and elsewhere –  to consider an internship. It has done wonders for my learning experience and it can for you too.

Learning and experimenting with the theory in a classroom setting is something students can find at any institution, but giving students in every program the equal opportunity to put those skills to the test in a real-life career situation is something you can only find at Trent Durham.

Vipin Chandra Narra is a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) student at Trent University Durham GTA, specializing in Marketing and Consumer Culture.