Engaging the Crowd and Gaining Professionalism: Leah’s Training and Development Internship
This summer, Leah started her first job ever. As a rising senior at Milton Hershey School, she had the opportunity to intern in the Training and Development office for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts—a setting that demanded professionalism, strong work ethic, and the ability to interact with others.
“The internship taught me what to expect out of this type of job, including what I should do and what I shouldn’t,” Leah said. “We learn about [these concepts] all the time in school, but this is where I actually had to apply them.”
One of her favorite responsibilities included assisting with an orientation for new Hershey Entertainment & Resorts employees. She designed a fact card for the event about Milton Hershey School and shared the School’s legacy with employees in attendance.
Leah quickly learned that she had to lead by example, as new employees asked her questions and watched how she acted to get acclimated in their new work setting. Because Leah is looking for a career that allows her to engage and communicate with others, she gained immeasurable experience through her public speaking assignments.
“My favorite thing was interacting with everyone. It was really nice to meet new people, see their perspective of certain jobs, and learn how they got there,” Leah said.
As part of the Business/Financial Management & Accounting pathway in the Career and Technical Education Program at MHS, Leah went into the internship with technical skills that proved valuable in the workforce. Thanks to the Microsoft PowerPoint certification she gained in her business class, she successfully created the fact cards for the new employee orientation. Her business classes also taught her how to present herself, introduce herself to people, and ask the right questions to her mentors.
She learned how to balance tasks, manage her time, and most importantly, discover which realms of the business world make her most passionate.
“I’ve learned that I actually like doing presentations and teaching people,” Leah shared. “I learned how to act professionally in a real-life work setting.”