Let the show begin!

After months of planning, and almost an entire university degree of preparation, my first week of interning is already over! With a quarter of my internship at Transperth done and dusted, here is what I have learnt and observed so far:

One of the things that has struck me the most is how much communication is achieved through email. Working in a communications department means constant emails, with updates on how projects are proceeding, questions flying back and forth, and documents being sent through for clarification. This has been both unexpected and very helpful - having everything written down has made any questions I have about the work I have been doing easy for everyone to answer.

Another thing that has been an eye-opener is how many projects are going on all at one time. The people within the department are constantly working on one thing or another, be it writing website copy or negotiating the parameters of an upcoming event. This has been a blessing for me - there is plenty of work that needs an extra pair of hands to complete, meaning I have been super busy over the past week. One of the tasks that I have enjoyed the most has been proofreading and writing information to be uploaded to the Transperth website. It has been really interesting seeing the style that is used, and how carefully crafted each piece of information is before being put out there for the public to see! 

I have been lucky enough to attend an activity day at a nearby school, and watch the children participate in fun events promoting the use of public transport and how to safely get to school in ways other than being driven by their parents. This was a wonderful learning experience as I was able to see just how much impact a small event can have, as well as learn about the extent of planning that went into the event to ensure that it was both informative and fun for the kids.

Overall, the most important thing that I have taken away from my first week at Transperth has been the feeling of working in a team environment. Having fun and supportive colleagues whisked away any nerves that I may have felt when starting the internship, and has allowed me to ask questions without feeling as if I am being frustrating or getting in the way.

Here's to a great first week, and hopefully three more wonderful weeks to come!