Alumni Voices: “This internship was a game-changer…”

Areej Ramsi, based in Saudi Arabia, wanted to increase her opportunities for professional development. After graduating from Norfolk State University with a degree in Management of Information Systems, Areej used her initiative to develop her skills through online courses, but with many interests to explore, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to advance her career in. She also needed real experience to help her stand out from the crowd to apply for in-demand jobs. Areej signed up for a three-month virtual internship to explore a career in marketing and was matched with a digital agency based in Sydney, Australia to help her identify and develop her chosen skills.

As a digital marketing intern, Areej was assigned a range of projects across market research, content creation, social media, and advertising. At first, many tasks seemed quite challenging for her skill level, but with support from her supervisor, she learned how to apply her education and knowledge to succeed. This gave Areej new insights and capabilities into what parts of marketing she enjoyed, and where best to apply her skills. 

“This internship was a game-changer for me, it opened my eyes to professional work worlds. The knowledge I gained, skills I learned, and people I met and worked with It’s what I cherish a lot from this experience. In my opinion, a virtual internship is your perfect guide to enter the career world in the correct way.

With the support of her supervisor and the collaboration with three other interns, Areej also developed her soft skills, including time management, prioritization of workload, and how to adapt to working remotely.

“Areej has a genuine interest in people, technology, and social media. During her internship, she developed assertive communication in a fast-paced virtual environment which allowed her to achieve her learning goals and nurture professional relations.” – Susanna Hedstrom, IEM Coach at Virtual Internships.

As part of the experience with Virtual Internships, Areej was assigned an Intern Coach who identified opportunities to enhance her professional development using social media. She is now an active user on LinkedIn, developing both her confidence and network to advance her career in marketing.

Through the Virtual Internships program, the support, and the subsequent evaluations provided, Areej has now been inspired with new ambitions for her professional development and career in the future.

If you’re interested in how a virtual internship can inspire and direct your career ambitions, sign-up now to match to your perfect internship in your chosen career field too.