Magazine internship gave student confidence and taster of challenges ahead

Holly Morgan believes the skills she learnt before beginning her degree put her head and shoulders above her classmates.

Holly Morgan said her internship taught her many valuable lessons. Courtesy Holly Morgan

ABU DHABI // An internship at an Abu Dhabi magazine was invaluable for journalism student Holly Morgan.

The 21-year-old South African believed the skills she learnt before beginning her degree put her head and shoulders above her classmates, and she urged others to do whatever it took to secure work experience in their chosen field.

"I was lucky enough to do an internship at TimeOut Abu Dhabi in the summer of 2014, just before I started university," said Ms Morgan.

“I managed to get in contact with one of the writers via email, who got back to me within a couple of weeks. She was extremely helpful and made me feel so welcome and needed.”

Ms Morgan said she loved the experience.

"It certainly confirmed my desire for the career path I wanted to follow," she said. "After working at TimeOut, I felt so confident about starting my course at university.

“The experience gave me a taste of the challenges I would face in a newsroom, and because of it, I feel far more knowledgeable of the industry than some of my fellow classmates.”

Ms Morgan said time management was probably the best skill she learnt in work experience.

“However, working at the magazine also provided me with a number of skills that bettered my writing, general knowledge and communication,” she said.

“Fortunately, doing work experience only made me more excited about being a journalist. However, for some, it may be a realisation that they aren’t doing what they anticipated.

“I do believe that there are a number of companies that are willing to provide work experience in the UAE, but it is up to the students to establish the first point of communication between them.

“I would like to see more companies openly offering and providing internships and work placements.

“It is a win-win situation. The students learn and the companies benefit from an extra pair of hands.”