FROM THE FOUR corners of the classroom to the professional setting, the growth process extends beyond the academe as fourth-year Bedans begin immersing themselves in the workforce through their on-the-job training (OJT). Navigating a new environment, gaining hands-on experience, and expanding one’s network—senior Lions are now poised to unlock new opportunities in their personal and professional careers.
In line with actualizing the Benedictine core values, ora et labora (prayer and work), let’s delve into the stories and experiences of our Bedan seniors currently undergoing internships.
“Going from the classroom to the corporate scene was like stepping into a whole new world.” – Jaca Luis Astudillo
Jaca, who is interning at Macquarie Group, a major global financial firm, shared how his work experience in finance provided further insights into the global economy.
A work environment that values mental well-being and encourages open communication is what Jaca deems to be “a good thing.” Additionally, he also cited how much of his personal and professional growth was realized by stepping out of his comfort zone and tackling a series of challenges.
Speaking of challenges, Jaca confessed to the difficulty of working in the financial sector considering the demands of each task. Additionally, some of his steep learning curve experiences include encountering new financial jargon and using new software. Despite this, to balance things out, Jaca mentioned how “rewarding it is” to learn new things in a short period of time.
“Having experiences on the chosen field lets you acquire skills and knowledge that cannot be simply taught at school.” – Mikaela Dimapilis
Working in Mind-tend Psychological Services is an essential part of the overall learning experience in Psychology. Hailing from the Department of Psychology, Mika, upon recounting her experiences working in their area, mentioned that, prior to conducting interviews and psychological assessments, attending seminars and acquiring certification “form an essential part” of their training.
Having a background through sample case studies and simulations in the University, Mika affirmed that “it is a different feeling” when one needs to handle an actual client in the clinic. Thus, she sees this as an opportunity to learn and further appreciate the future career she aspires to pursue.
Mika’s pursuit of becoming a certified psychologist has taught her the importance of empathy and patience. By honing these skills, she is one step closer to achieving her dreams and making a positive impact on the lives of others.
“I see myself as an empathic person, but after the OJT, it was greatly enhanced.” – Stephen Roi Codia
Noting the insight of another psychologist-in-the-making, Stephen who is also interning at Mind-tend Psychological Services shared how his working experiences in clinics helped him better understand the feelings of other individuals.
Transitioning to a new set-up, Stephen found the adjustment “relatively smooth,” as he did not experience any “culture shock.” He credited his successful adaptation to his co-interns’ support, along with the welcoming atmosphere of the clinic where he was interning.
Considering that creating psychological reports is a crucial requirement for their academic tasks, Stephen shared a different feeling about providing quality psychological service to a real-time client. This experience echoes his view: “to learn and to apply.”
“Being able to assess and compare applicants which we think is best for the company.” – Luis Alejandrino
Establishing effective communication and interacting with people is one of the core tasks in human resources (HR). Alejandrino, an HR intern at Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc., shared that his skills, particularly his interpersonal and communication abilities, improved during his OJT.
Working as an intern, specifically under HR talent acquisition, his role is to contribute and help recruit the best possible interns and employees for the organization. He then suggested rotating interns from one facet to another—such as talent acquisition, incentives, and compensation.
Luis seems to adapt well to his new surroundings and hasn’t experienced any culture shock. He deemed his experience as a “valuable head start” in gaining an overview of the work environment, which will then help him in the process of securing his future job. Moreover, with his positive outlook on every situation, such a commendable trait will likely serve him well in his many endeavors.
“My experiences in my OJT have made me a stronger candidate in terms of securing a future job.” – Jomari Bayot
Jomari, a student from the Department of Operations Management, is currently an intern in the Asset Management Section of the Department of Education (DepEd), which spearheads the monitoring of supplies and operations within the office.
As part of their practicum requirement, Jomari expects to complete an internship in a department where they could use their knowledge of supply chain, logistics, inventory, and related abilities.
Even though he expected a particular hierarchical level in his workplace, he was “pleasantly surprised” to find a work environment that “prioritizes camaraderie, exceptional leadership, and fairness and respect” for all its members.
Immersing in his OJT experiences, Jomari noted how he has seen a vast improvement in his skills, particularly in terms of punctuality, creating quality and error-free output, collaborative teamwork, and adaptation to diverse working environments.
“OJT is really a great opportunity for students to appreciate what they are studying.” – Julia San Jose
With Legal Management as her major, Julia can select vast areas of work primarily in either the private practice of law in law firms and corporations, or the public practice through the branches of the Supreme Court (SC) and Regional Trial Courts (RTCs). Ultimately, she chose the former and entered the internship program of Arceo & Irasusta Law firm.
Throughout her internship, she considered time management as her “biggest challenge” citing the difficulty of balancing her responsibilities as an OJT student and an officer of the College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CAS-SC).
Amid this, when immersing herself in the working environment, Julia shared that she “didn’t encounter adjustment issues” as she was “used to the remote set-up type.” She primarily assisted in handling ongoing cases and closing sales deals.
Julia also expressed appreciation for the value of OJT in helping students prepare for the real world. Additionally, she also thought how “great it would be” if the departments further extended the time of OJT.
Encountering OJT stories and experiences of our fellow seniors demonstrates how internship programs have shaped transformative learning. Students gain new outlooks, insights, and skills relevant to their dream professions. All-inclusive, this helps learners bridge the gap between university life and the professional world. Indeed, the internship programs help us take a peak on how things work beyond theories and lectures in a classroom set-up.
(With Marc Joseph Felix)