Blog 1: Training and Observation under Ateneo School of Government

THE SEARCH IS ON...
(1st week: January 12,13,2011)

Excitement stroked me soon after we defended our undergraduate thesis for the reason that we can finally start entering the maze of finding an office to undergo for the on-the-job training.



We started finding an office for OJT last December. GMA7, ABS-CBN, Ibon Foundation, TV5 are some of my options to submit for an application. I heard that GMA7 is not accepting interns yet. I then called the office of the network to confirm on this. They told me that there are no vacancies for interns and they will start accepting trainees in summer time. Upon knowing this, I immediately work on my curriculum vitae (CV) to apply on my other target offices.

CV will serve as a marketing tool to souk us in preparation to the real world of having a decent job after college. This will also serve as a basis in getting primary information about the applicant to whoever will conduct an interview. Since I am just applying for a practicum, I didn’t expect at all that interview will be done. Though my CV is not a well-constructed one because I exceeded to the 2-page requirement, I make it to the point that I can still empress the person who will do the interview.

The true process of learning cannot only be obtained in the academe but most of the time in the places that we are normally embrace and will be embracing especially in the workplace. I was confident enough to what I have written and included to my CV. First stop, TV5. I was accompanied by my other aspirant friends when I went to TV5. We went to the HR office of the said network and waited for the notice of Ms. HR. After some time, she confronted us and announced that they’re not already accepting interns for the reason they have enough trainees by then. She also told us that she’ll transfer our CV’s to the news department where still it has more vacancies for interns and they will call us back soon our CV’s have processed.

I don’t want to give any hope on that call since it is better to apply more offices for high chances of getting accepted. We enthusiastically left the place and went to Ibon Foundation to render our application. Luckily, we are notified to start our internship on their office after a week.

On our first day, internship orientation and tour at the office was carried out. On that same day, we are divided according to our designated offices. I was assigned in the logistics office were lots of newly published books are being printed. Together with my two colleagues, we roamed around by our boss to logistics office and to its publishing house. He then explained to us the process of printing books from lay outing, editing, printing, cutting, and folding and up to the final packaging of the books. He then also explained to us the tasks that we’re about to do. We are assigned to check and look on the deficiencies that the newly printed books have. It was indeed a boring task for us yet we are very grateful that the foundation accepted our applications.

Afternoon on that same day, I received a call from someone who is not on my phone book list. An employee from Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) notified me to report early in the morning at the MMLDC Hotel in Antipolo to formally start my internship period on their office. I was very astounded, thankful and at the same time nervous. Since I have just started my internship in Ibon foundation and since I know that I will extensively use and further enhance my writing skills in ASoG, I hastily decided to pursue my training in Ateneo and give a formal notice of resignation to the office of Ibon.