As the three-month sumer break began, I was fortunate enough to be able to secure an internship with the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) under the ELITe programme. This process wasn’t as frantic as a year ago, but it led me to think about my opinion on internships in general.
Granted, my current internship is a requirement for this programme, but I think there’s a lot of benefits that can be derived from this ten-week internship. My department deals with digital media under the Consumer Infocomm division, and it’s insightful to know more about what the government’s plans are regarding the media industry in Singapore. Within this same division is two other equally interesting departments, one that deals with virtual worlds, social media and games, and the other that is involved in developing the startup ecosystem in Singapore.
Exposure aside, I’ve never really done any serious research before, and the job scope of my internship promises that. I don’t really see myself as a research person, hence it’s quite a good opportunity for me to see if I’ll be suitable for such a role. Of course, there’s a limit to how involved an intern will actually be in their projects, so I’m not counting my eggs before they hatch.
One week in, I realised I’d forgotten how corporate lifestyle is like, and indeed it’s a stark contrast from the lack of routine that is academia life. The fixed working hours have quickly taken a toll on me, leaving me with little time on weekday evenings before fatigue sets in. The long periods in the day can be stifling as well, but I think it’s just a matter of taking time to get used to. That said, free time is no longer a commodity, and I’d have to cherish every weeknight and weekend for the subsequent nine weeks of this internship.
There are definitely other things I hope to do in the summer, but the routine of work severely limits the possibilities. I’d never thought I’ll need better time management skills now than during the school semester.
Tags: ELITe, IDA, Internship
