Every college student eagerly and excitedly awaits their graduation day, yet deep down there may be some intimidation and fear of how it truly feels to be an adult with a 9am-5pm job. Internships are a simple, yet effective way to fade that anxiety away, while also helping you boost your resume, and prep you for your future employer. But that’s not all, there are other valuable benefits of completing an internship position. Check out one intern’s perspective on why she credits her future success to her Primera internship experience.

Put Your Education to Good Use

Internships are a fantastic way to integrate all the knowledge gained in the classroom into real life experiences. While college does a good job preparing you to complete tasks, you may encounter things in the real world that you are not sure how to tackle. Sure, you can always google them, but nothing beats getting the right answer from asking those who have already done what you are learning to do. While I definitely used my education as a solid foundation, Primera employees were always willing to lend a helping hand and took the time to explain the problems I didn’t understand.

Make Connections         

After spending an entire summer interning at Primera, I can finally admit that the initial fears of starting a typical office job were simply fears of a young adult who did not know any better. One of Primera’s biggest strengths is the community of people that work there. This community allowed me to connect with employees and engineers at all levels. Even engineers with 20-30 years of experience, whom I was initially intimidated of, showed me that it was okay to be curious, ask questions, and be the young-not-so-perfect engineering student I am. In fact, nobody expected me to be perfect, the people at Primera simply expected me to continue learning. Throughout the summer, the people on my team challenged me with new software, such as Mathcad, RISA-3D, and other material that I have yet to learn in school. The connections I made at Primera allowed me to understand that people are always willing to help, you just simply need to ask.

Opportunity to Giveback

Not only did my internship help me to acquire knowledge on how certain software worked, or when to use a proper formula, but it also allowed me the opportunity to give back to the community. Throughout the year, Primera organizes employee volunteer events for good causes. This summer, the big volunteering event took place at Youth Crossroads, a non-profit organization that acts in the interest of youth. Primera employees gathered for the giveback day to help finish the reconstruction of the organization’s main building by helping to paint walls, install furniture, landscape and so much more. Such opportunities offer employees a rewarding experience as well as teambuilding skills, all while making a positive impact in our society.

Practice-run for the Real World

Internships give you a fantastic idea of what your day-to-day life will consist of after graduation. They open your eyes and allow you to really see if you are going in the right direction or if you should change what you’re doing and look for a different career or path to take in life. My internship did just that and provided me with an overall calming feeling as it reassured me that I was on the right path. Despite not knowing what challenges my future may hold, Primera brushed away my anxiety and gave me a sense of peace knowing that there will always be people willing to help when they can. An internship is just the start of a lifetime of learning and growth and should be a part of everyone’s college experience.