Gaining real-world experience through internships

Within the Massey Business School, internship opportunities are available at 300 level, allowing students to work with organisations in areas aligned to their major. These placements give students the opportunity to take on real projects, contribute to teams and experience the pace and expectations of their chosen industry.

Internships coordinator Professor Sarah Leberman says internships play an important role in helping students make the transition from study to work.

“These opportunities give students the chance to apply their learning in real-world settings, build professional confidence and develop skills that employers are looking for,” Professor Leberman says.

For Bachelor of Communication graduate Lara Watson, her internship offered exactly that. Lara majored in marketing, completed a 12-week internship with Tracta, an agri-marketing agency in Napier.

During her internship, Lara worked on a client prospecting project, developing ideal customer profiles, learning how to use Customer Relationship Management tools and researching content topics for marketing campaigns. She also supported the team with research for upcoming work, gaining valuable insight into how an agency operates.

Lara says the experience gave her a clear understanding of how fast-paced the industry can be.

“The internship was a huge eye opener to the fast-paced world of agency life. Seeing a project being turned around in a matter of days or even hours was impressive, compared to uni deadlines.”

The placement also opened the door to her current role.

“I was lucky enough to be offered a role in the media team at Tracta. The 12-week internship was a great opportunity for the company to understand how I work, and also for me to see if it was something I wanted to pursue.”

While her role has since evolved, Lara says the opportunity gave her a strong understanding of how the company operates, as well as the chance to reflect on her own development.

“Looking back, I appreciate this aspect of the experience. It was a unique opportunity to reflect on my entire degree and who I was in the professional workplace.

“I would highly recommend doing an internship. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people out of university and get real-world experience.”