Writing & Editing Internship Blog

Public, Technical and Workplace Writing Certificate Internships

by Tori Gross

One of the requirements of getting a Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing Certification at The University of West Florida is completing an internship. Internships are a great way to get an idea of the job field you are looking to enter. But for this specific certification, an internship is an integral part of being successful.

Growing Your Authority and Credibility

One of the main reasons students enter internships is to gain experience in their career field of interest. This holds true for Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing internships where you gain experience that will grow your authority and credibility for entering the workforce. In the writing field, that is everything. It is who you are.

Bethany White enrolled in the program with for a spring semester 20205  internship at Council on Aging of West Florida, where worked with the development director on a variety of projects: donor letters, articles for their magazine, social media marketing, grants. Bethany feels like her internship has helped her “gain some valuable experience and knowledge.” Bethany expressed she was “glad to experience being part of a marketing department, since I’m also an Advertising major and will likely try to work in this field.”

You Learn Writing By Doing It

Dr. Fox-Edele, senior instructor in the UWF English Department and coordinator of the Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing Certification program says that “you don't learn how to write by talking about it -- you learn writing by doing it.” That’s what makes an internship a key part of the program. It is helpful to learn the technical part of writing. But to truly be successful in the field, it is crucial to experience it in the “real-world.” The internship is the place where writing comes alive for students planning to enter the professional world.

Bethany has experienced this firsthand. “Completing my internship has definitely helped me with my Public, Technical, and Workplace Writing Certificate because it’s allowed me to put those skills I’ve developed in the classroom into action. I’ve written articles and designed promotional material that I started developing a knowledge of in my courses.”

What You Should Know

When starting your internship, Bethany recommends you “have certain goals or even tasks . . . in mind from the beginning.” Doing this will allow you to accomplish your specific goals and make sure you are getting everything out of the internship that you can. This will help keep you engaged and passionate about the work you are doing, leading to better quality work. Try to remember that you get out of these internships what you put into them. If you aren’t willing to do the work, you won’t gain as much knowledge or experience as you can.

 

In-Person vs. Remote Internships: Which one is best for you?

by Tori Gross

A great benefit of the UWF internship program is the options available to you. Whether you are a freshman in college and want an in-person internship that can help you develop a sense of workplace culture or a working mom that requires a flexible, remote internship that can fit a busy life, there are options for you.

In-Person Internship

Pros:

• Develop a since of workplace culture: For those who aren’t familiar with a professional setting, in person internships would give you a low stakes ability to learn.
• Hands-on experience: Allows you to be shown exactly what to do. This is especially good for those who are going into a field which they might not know much about yet.
• Network Opportunities: Internships are a great way to meet people in the field you are interested in. In-person internships often present more opportunities for this.

Cons:

• Not flexible: Often more rigid about when and where you work, which can be difficult if you have a full/busy schedule.
• Commuting: Internships can be located further or out of the way which can cause problems.

Remote Internship

 Pros:

• Flexible: The time and place which you can accomplish work is up to you, which is nice for those with a full schedule.
• Wider range of job options: Geographical barriers are not an issue with remote work, allowing more options.

Cons:

• Difficulty managing time: Have to manage your own time which can be difficult for some.
• Limited interaction for networking and communication: Working remotely can make it more difficult to have networking opportunities.

When figuring out what type of internship you are looking for, take the time to evaluate your life and what will best suit your specific needs.

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