Nichols College Junior Says Internship Was a "Real Benefit"
When other college students were sunbathing in Florida over Winter Break 2007, Ashley McGreevy of Wakefield, Rhode Island, walked into the corporate headquarters of APC by Schneider Electric to determine if there was an internship opportunity at the company. McGreevy's determination paid off and she ended up landing a paid summer internship in APC's Human Resource Department (HR) reporting to a Senior HR Generalist from May 12th-August 22nd.
"I was very fortunate to get experience in a corporate headquarters with 20 professionals who deal with HR issues in locations around the world," says McGreevy. She's majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management at Nichols College and will graduate in December 2009.
"Internships are required as part of Nichols Human Resource Management Program because we want our students to have career experience before graduating," says Dr. Libba Moore, associate Dean of Business and Program chair, "and to network for job opportunities. I was able to visit Ashley on the job this summer and to talk to her supervisor. She was clearly having a wonderful experience."
APC, located in West Kingston, Rhode Island, is a global leader in critical power and cooling services, providing industry leading product, software and systems for home, office, data center and factory floor applications. "I did a lot of different things there," says McGreevy, including: scheduling interviews and travel, assisting in coordinating a Walk for Fitness program, researching telecommuting best practices, checking references, sending out offer packets, and posting jobs online. McGreevy's supervisor gave her plenty of opportunities to network and complete projects with every individual in the Department, insuring that she clearly understood their role and responsibilities.
But most importantly, "I found that my passion lies in the Benefits area of HR," says McGreevy. "Instead of spending my first year as a new hire in an area that I don't like, I can now focus my energy on getting a position in Benefits."
A key component of Ashley's internship is the required development of a portfolio of her "real world" accomplishments on the job. One section of the portfolio includes all the project details of the Walk for Fitness program: excel charts tracking individual and team steps, promotional flyers, photographs of teams, and the final results.
What stands out in the portfolio is the lengthy and glowing reference from her supervisor. "As a person responsible for hiring, he really knows how to write a great reference!" exclaimed McGreevy. "I couldn't have asked for a better recommendation." The reference clearly points out McGreevy's grasp of HR policies and processes.
"I hope to work again at APC over winter break," say McGreevy. "I know that I've developed some great practical skills there and now feel confident interviewing for HR positions with my APC portfolio."