Internship Requirements
- Successful completion of the prescribed classroom academic program and a recommendation by an instructor as an Internship candidate.
- The work placement must provide the student with significant opportunities to apply classroom knowledge.
- Preparation of a final document summarizing the learning experience.
Ashton College continues to develop industry linkages to place its students for gaining first-hand experience. Students are encouraged to maintain close contact with the internship coordinator and express their interest in the type of business in which they would like to be placed. The coordinator identifies areas of strength of students and attempts to match them with the businesses on Ashton's roster.
The coodinator also provides assistance in customizing students' resumes, letters of introduction and guidance for interview tips.
Success Stories
Interview With an Internship Student
After completing a successful course here at Ashton College in Business Administration, Shunsuke Akimoto chose to further his education by applying real work experience to what he'd learned in his classes. The experience, he said, has been invaluable. He began his internship mid-November of 2006 and completed it January 16, 2007.
Where was your internship?
Marrakesh Design, in Kitsilano.
Can you tell us about your experience there?
Well first off, they import from Morocco , but of course when I started there I didn't have any knowledge about that, so they trained me. Most of our customers are middle-aged women but they don't usually buy the first time the visit. Some of our items are expensive, but they leave, check their house to see if it matches and then decide and come back.
So I had to have good knowledge of the products and of marketing them. There are many unique products here, for example, hand-shaped accessories that have significant meaning, so the customer wants to know all that background information. So I need to be ready to explain it.
Did you find the internship challenging?
Yes, there was always a lot to do in the store to improve displays and that sort of thing. It's very interesting to me to think about how a customer would see the store, to see from their point of view and try to make it more attractive to them.
Has this been a useful experience?
Yes, definitely. It was good to see how marketing works in a real business.
Has this internship helped you apply the knowledge you learned at Ashton College?
I do, but it's sometimes difficult. I try to use the knowledge I learned here but sometimes it's too professional for such a small shop! It's taking the knowledge in a different direction, learning to apply it to the day-to-day, there's always a lot to think about. I'm always thinking about how to work and think independently and how to best present myself.
Do you feel your professors prepared you well for this experience?
Oh yes, the professors are really talented, I think. There was a lot to learn from them!
Click here to view the Internship brochure
