Letisia Petrus

Henry Paulson once said that there is always light at the end of the tunnel and that it just depends on how long the tunnel is. For me participating in the B360 virtual internship program was the light at the end of the tunnel, after struggling to land an internship placement for more than 6 months.

At work

Virtual work environments can often be daunting. Initially, I was intimidated and overwhelmed as it was not only my first online work environment, but also my first time working in the corporate industry, for an organization based in a different country with its own cultures, norms, and customs. Interning at Swiss-African Business Circle has been one of the greatest learning curves of my short life.

I gained a lot of hard skills such as writing, language, design, digital marketing (social media), the use of software applications such as WordPress and Mailchimp and research. But most importantly, I developed soft skills, such as attention to details, time management and prioritization and how to be proactive which I am quite sure will help me succeed in the future.

At times I had my moments of doubts about whether I met my supervisor’s expectations and whether I really had a clear understanding of the organization’s mission, goals, and activities.

Also, I have an autonomous personality, so I often struggled to find the confidence to ask questions, but with the help of my supervisor, Helina Bischoff and Olivia Morel I soon realized that the more I asked questions the more efficiently I could complete the tasks and the more confident I became. Moreover, I must confess I was lucky enough to have wonderful colleagues who took time out of their busy schedules to have team coffees with me and keep me updated and connected with everyone.

Overall, working with SABC has taught me how imperative adaptability, communication, resilience, and flexibility is in the professional environment.

Cultural Exchange

Until I met the Huber family, I have never looked forward to any weekday. But Tuesdays have become my favorite day for the past 3 months, meeting the Huber family has been one of my many highlights of the B360 Virtual internship program. I have learned so much about Switzerland and Europe from our time spend together and the images and clips they shared. They taught me cultural sensitivity and improved my communication skills. I really appreciate that I had the opportunity to connect with people who are fun, adventurous, supportive and have such a great sense of humor.

Highlights and lowlights

This internship was one of my best achievements since studying at Namibia University of Science and Technology and a wonderful experience overall. But just like any other experience it too had its stormy and sunny days. But the highlights definitely outweigh the lowlights.

I cannot think of any other lowlight then the inevitable computer or network glitches, which made communication challenging. The internship stretched me in all ways that fostered personal and professional growth and listing all the highlights would take forever. However, some of my highlights are the courses offered, the daily calls from both the B360 team and SABC, and the cultural exchange I gained so much invaluable knowledge.

My Future Plans

I am a multi-passionate individual - I find pleasure in communication. My dream job is in communication and psychology. I wish to do a psychology degree next year and become an industrial-organization psychologist or media psychologists. But after the internship, since I am still new to this industry, I hope to get another internship or entry level job and build on the knowledge and skills I gained from this experience, to develop a clear picture of my professional goals.

Personal Message

I consider myself very fortunate for such a fantastic experience, words cannot articulate how grateful I am to be afforded an opportunity to be part of the virtual internship program! The internship was the best tool and opportunity to help me kick-start my career as I was presented with a platform to develop both my personal and professional skills, it helped me rediscover myself and what my true interest really are. Therefore, I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the B360 team, the SABC team my virtual host family - the Huber family and all the mentors for making this a wonderful experience for me. I am more grateful to you than you will ever know. Thank you for all the effort, support and advice provided to me.