Kristen: My internship experience

Do you want to learn more about internships and what they involve? Our students talk about their placement experiences, what they’ve learned and how it’s helped them carve out their own career paths.

Q. Where did you do your placement and why?
A. I am currently completing my placement at GM Holden Ltd. at the Head Office in Fisherman’s Bend, Port Melbourne. I chose this company because, to me, Holden has an employer of choice. I felt that the opportunity to work as a HR specialist for 12 months would give me a vast amount of experience and would give me a realistic of what life would be like in the workforce. GM Holden is one of Australia’s largest manufacturing car companies, an icon of Australia and I found it an absolute privilege to call myself a Holden employee.

Q. Can you tell us about the most memorable moment of your placement?
A. The most memorable moment of my placement was when I organised a photo shoot for my HR team as part of a self-initiated engagement activity. This was within the first two months of working at Holden and was a great way to socialise and network with my colleagues in the preparation and completion of the event. The most exciting part was the event being successful and having the whole team engaged and excited, which was the main aim of my activity. Furthermore, this went above and beyond my expectations as we had a team photo enlarged and placed on a canvas within our HR area of the office as memorabilia from the day. This is no d
oubt one of the most memorable and proudest moments of my experience at Holden.

Q. Looking back, if there was one thing you could do differently during your placement, what would it be?
A. I would try to ask more questions, right from the start. Coming into a large-scale organisation is often quite intimidating, especially when you are surrounded with professionals in the field. However, one thing I have learnt is that everyone wants see you succeed and to provide you with as much support as they can. I was initially very timid when I first started at Holden but looking backm now I realise that it’s best to ask as many questions as you can from the get-go because it is only going to help you with your development as early as possible which is an advantage to you as you progress through the rest of the placement.

Q. How has your placement impacted on your career goals?
A. My placement has impacted my career goals in a positive manner. After working at Holden in the HR department I have found my passion for what I want to do once I graduate from uni. HR is definitely for me, and working alongside people and assisting people within an organisation is what I enjoy most. I am a people’s person and I really enjoy interacting with people and helping clients. Holden has helped me find this passion and I am ever so grateful for having the opportunity to complete my placement at GM Holden.