Sai Hong Chan was gracious enough to provide answers to a few questions about the Northern Development Internship program. Sai Hong is currently working in the City of Williams Lake.
Q. What has surprised you the most about your internship?
A. The complexity of tasks surprises me the most. I believe this is due to managers’ 120% trust in me. In addition to the office work, I also had the opportunity to attend different kinds of meetings and site visits, attend first aid and other professional training courses, and shadow every city department. Being at the front desk and operating the plow truck are unforgettable memories because I never thought I would do those in my life.
Q. Can you give me an example of one very positive experience you have had so far?
A. One very positive experience I have had is receiving recognition from managers and mentors for my work. My effort is acknowledged verbally and in writing during team meetings and emails. Getting positive feedback is vital because it builds my confidence and motivates me to continue contributing to the City. I feel I am valued as one of the team members.
Q. Can you tell me about the support you receive from staff at Northern Development?
A. We had an orientation during the second week of the internship. NDIT provided tons of information on this program, expectations, and things to be aware of and introduced all the 2023-24 interns. All of this information helped me to have a great start to my internship.
We have biweekly engagement emails and monthly cohort meetings Northern Development. They take care of our work-related issues and mental health. Regular check-ins from NDIT are necessary, so I do not feel alone. Several times during the monthly meetings, guest speakers talked about different topics and shared their experiences, which helped us manage our work and life.
Interns created a WhatsApp chat room during orientation week. We ask questions and share information there. We also regularly update our latest status and emotionally support each other. That is how our friendship is maintained.
