Blog Post #5- Reflection

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  I felt like this experience of doing an internship and taking this career pathway academy class were extremely valuable. I was able to gain insight on what it is really like to work in the exact field that I hope to go into. My internship made me even more sure that becoming a veterinarian is something that I want to do. I was also able to learn the basics of what goes on in an animal hospital, which will be an advantage when I start my education/career as a veterinarian. Most importantly, my internship allowed me to improve my career readiness skills. I learned how to act professionally at a job, communicate with others, and act appropriately in the workplace. Before this internship, I had little work experience, but now I feel as though I would be comfortable getting a job and working. I also got much better at being assertive and asking questions because before I would refrain from asking questions and instead try to figure it out on my own. My internship also helped me become more confident around new people and in new situations. It can be intimidating going into a new place with lots of adults you've never met before, but this experience has made me better at being confident in those situations because if you seem confident, others won't see you as the nervous new person. Overall, I thought this internship was great because I learned a ton and had a lot of fun.
  
  
  The career pathway academy class also helped prepare me for life by providing me with financial skills, technical skills, people skills, and information about myself. I learned the importance of planning for the future and setting goals because they help ensure that you will accomplish the things you want to accomplish throughout your life. Throughout class, we did a variety of activities that provided us with information about ourselves, such as our values, strengths, weaknesses, personality, and passions. This allowed us to see what things we had to work on and what things we were good at. For example, I learned that I do not value or appreciate beauty and art very much. I can use this information to work on this and take my time and appreciate the little things. Throughout this class I learned how to use blogger to share my ideas with my peers, create a LinkedIn profile, write a cover letter, and improve my resume. All of those skills are valuable aspects that can help me get jobs in the future.
  
  
  Overall, I feel like this experience has been extremely valuable because it taught me an extensive amount of skills that are essential to life. If I hadn't done this internship and class this summer, I probably would have spent most of my time doing things with little value. I was able to learn all these new skills and ideas, which will give me an advantage because I already have some work experience. I am so grateful to have had this experience and I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to learn how to be a good employee and gain work experience.