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Internship Practices in Nepal: An Intern's Diary

"Photocopy" used to be the very first thing that came to my mind when I heard the word “internship”. And, I found it to be true to some extent as I started working as an intern myself. But, by the time my internship came to an end, I was very clear that photocopying is not the only definition of internship. I realized that nobody can begin their career as a CEO right from the start. There are numerous practical as well as professional knowledge that we need to garner as college graduates before we are able to take up any big responsibilities on our shoulders. And, no place could be better than internship to learn all those technicalities of the professional world.
Working as an intern is the best way to kick starts your career no matter whether you want to become an entrepreneur, or a government officer, or even an employee. Even though I have worked as an intern only once in my life, I strongly believe that the companies do not limit their interns to photocopying documents. At least, I wasn’t. Internship provides you the platform to witness the real work-life scenario along with the opportunity to know yourself.
For me, the most important lesson that I learned as an intern was time management. Before that, I had no idea how challenging time management could be. Or, at least, I hadn’t realized it till then. Travelling in overcrowded public buses to reach the office, working all day, travelling in an overcrowded bus again to get back to my room, studying for exams, and preparing dinner for myself every day, I learned to allocate time for everything. Those days taught me that if you really want to do something, and if you have the passion for what you are doing, you can conquer any hurdle with ease to get what you have dreamed of. That time has now given my life the drive and the direction it needed.
Getting dressed in formals and telling your family that you are leaving for office early in the morning adds an extra charm to your life. And believe me, the expressions on your parent’s face is priceless. Their baby, that small child, is trying to stand on his own feet. What else could make them prouder than that?
One of the other best parts about internship is that you are excused to make mistakes. No one is going to cut your pay for that. Instead, you’ll be taught to improve your work skills, to work better, and become efficient in everything you do. It’s almost impossible to learn without making mistakes. Internship provides you the opportunity to make as many mistakes as you can and learn. So, join internship, make mistakes, and learn from them.
Surrounding yourself with the people who are qualified and experienced than you always brings positivity in you. Not only will they teach you the tricks of the trade but also share their journey, their experiences and give you that little push of motivation that helps you get a step closer to your ambition. But, not everyone may be lucky in that case. Working with more qualified and experienced people can be challenging sometimes. Attitude problem is something that some supervisors get as a bonus for years of experience in their field. Dealing with them isn't any intern’s cup of tea. Luckily enough, I got a supervisor who was down to earth and very supportive. Maybe, as the saying goes, luck is determined at the time you are born.
Belittling the interns is one of the major problems in internship. Yes, we make mistakes; we are supposed to. But, aren’t the experienced seniors supposed to correct us rather than underrating us? Just because I am an intern doesn’t mean I am ignorant about every single thing. You don’t need to teach me things as simple as adding and subtracting in the spreadsheet. If I am already telling you that I can do it by myself, you should give me that space to try and explore what I am actually capable of. I may not be perfect but at least you need to give me a chance. That would just make us a lot more confident in what we do.
The privacy policy maintained by the company restrains you from any in-depth knowledge about the organization. Though their code of conduct doesn’t allow them to share their secrets with interns, they could at least share some basics about the organization such as their work flow, their market status and so on. If the companies were to show a little trust towards interns, they would definitely find the interns more dedicated towards their work. When you show your trust to someone, they will definitely pay you back with the same.
The other issue that needs to be fixed in the internship practice of Nepal is the period of internship. Most of the internships in Nepal range from 2 to 6 months. What are we supposed to learn in those two months? It would take us two whole months to understand the hierarchy only, if we were to work for some large organizations. In my case, I was still confused about the organizational structure when I completed my internship tenure. Plus, you have just started enjoying your work and your internship period gets over. How sad is that?  Making it a bit lengthy wouldn’t hurt.
Being praised for your work is the best feeling ever. That excitement when they offer you a permanent job on the final day of your internship feels surreal. Though most of the companies don’t offer you the placement, you need to prove yourself capable enough so that they give you a call to apply when they have the vacancy.
What you hear from others and what you experience in life may differ by miles. My internship experience may differ from that of others depending on the organization and the intern's expectations. But, this is the overall internship scenario in Nepal. Internship is the best way to start your career. There’s no doubt in that.  If you take my suggestion, join internship without any big expectations. You will certainly end up learning a lot which will boost your self-confidence and push you forward in life.

Writer: Govinda Jung Kunwar

Editor-in-Chief: Edna Shrestha

Note: This article originally appeared in the print magazine, Management Vision-an opinion based magazine of business and entrepreneurship prepared by the BBA students of People’s Campus. 

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