Internship experience: stepping out the comfort zone

Business student Jolie Ong, originally from Singapore, chose to study at Strathclyde to ‘learn beyond the classroom’ - here, she outlines how Strathclyde being the place of useful learning has influenced her and what an internship role meant for her.

I chose to study at Strathclyde because I wanted to experience something different by studying abroad and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I was also attracted to Strathclyde because of its strong reputation in business and its focus on developing practical and analytical skills. I felt that this would give me the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom and apply what I learn to real-world situations, which is something I find exciting.

Useful learning

Strathclyde’s ‘Place of Useful Learning’ approach has shaped the way I think about education. Rather than seeing theory as something that only exists in textbooks, I have learned to apply it to my assignments and group projects, some of which involve real business situations that we have to analyse and solve. This taught me that in business sometimes there is not one correct answer. For instance, I had a group project which set out to analyse service and experience. We chose The Alchemist as the company and looked at how they include sustainability into their business.

We used theories learned like SERVQUAL and Servuction to analyse the customer experience and the different parts of the service process. This project taught me how theories can be used to analyse a real business problem and identify areas for improvement. More importantly, it helped me see the practical purpose behind what we learn in class and how these concepts can be applied to situations that businesses actually face.

Internship with Global Partner Locations

This year I worked at Strathclyde from March to May as a Global Partner Locations Intern, supporting Strathclyde's work with international partners. One of the best things about this internship is that the team was small. It was just my manager and me, which meant I got to see everything that goes on behind the scenes when organising a visit.

As part of my internship, I helped support two cohort visits: one involving senior academics and university executives (Chief Innovation Officer Exchange Programme - CIOX); and another involving PhD students from Chulalongkorn University Technology Management and Innopreneurship Programme (CUTIP), both visits took place back-to-back. I was involved in the preparation and administration before their arrival and engaged with them throughout in person. To personalise the experience and provide a warm welcome, I created a Glasgow food and places guide for the visitors, providing them with local recommendations.

Working in such a small team also meant that I had to become more independent. I worked closely with my manager to understand what needed to be done, managed different tasks and made sure everything was prepared and completed within the required timeframe. I got into the habit of keeping track of deadlines and following up so nothing slipped. In a way, this gave me a valuable experience of what it is like to prepare and execute a project and provide a seamless delivery.

Of course, there were also challenges. Sometimes, there were ad-hoc requirements that needed immediate attention, which taught me to be flexible and adapt quickly. This was quite different from studying, where most of the requirements and deadlines are clearly stated from the beginning.

Meeting so many new people made me nervous at first. I had to step outside my comfort zone and make the effort to start conversations and build connections. Funnily enough, it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the internship. It made me realise that an internship isn't only about applying what you've learned at university; it's also about learning from the people you meet. By the end, I had connected with some of the visitors on LinkedIn, which made me really happy because it showed me how much more confident I had become.

Looking ahead

I'm graduating soon, which means it's time to start job hunting. I'm planning to apply for roles in the business industry, and I'm keeping an open mind about which area suits me best. My internship showed me that I enjoy work that involves organising, coordinating and meeting people from different backgrounds, so I'd love a role where I can use those skills. I'm excited to take what I've learned at Strathclyde, both in the classroom and outside it, and see where it takes me.

Advice to future students

If you're a student reading this, my advice to you is to say yes to different opportunities available to you, even though it might be slightly different from what you are learning in school. There might be a surprise that you never expect, and it might impact your life decision - because it just did for me. Do your best and do not give up. It could be the beginning of a wonderful journey full of possibilities.

About Jolie Ong

Jolie Ong is a student of Business Administration at Strathclyde Business School in her final year of study.